The University of Manchester Middle East Centre welcomes its 37th Global Part-time MBA cohort from the region

The University of Manchester’s Middle East Centre has welcomed the latest (January 2024) cohort of Global Part-time MBA students – the 37th Middle East cohort since 2006. A total of 90 new students, all working professionals, joined the programme in the first of two intakes in 2024, bringing outstanding professional experience and expertise to the growing regional community of students and alumni. The Middle East Centre, which is the largest in the University’s international network, hosted an induction session for the new cohort followed by the first face to face workshops with Manchester faculty, at Dubai Knowledge Park.

The vast majority (over 80%) of students in the new cohort reside in the United Arab Emirates or Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and bring an average of 12 years’ experience, including in c-level executive positions, management and specialist roles with some of the region’s most recognised organisations. In terms of industry, the single largest group of students are working in the Technology sector, followed by Oil & Gas, and Construction. The average age range of the new students is 36-40 years and the gender split shows that female students account for close to one-third of the new cohort, which comprises students of 22 nationalities.

At the induction session, the cohort learned more about Student Support, Finance, and Careers and Alumni Support services, and about the student experience from University alumni. The students toured the Middle East Centre facilities before moving on to a networking and team building event for the evening. The students then started their first interactive MBA workshops led by visiting senior faculty from Manchester, focusing on case studies and real-world examples.

The welcome session began with a video message by Xavier Duran, MBA Programmes Director at the University, followed by an in-person welcome from Randa Bessiso, Founding Director of the Middle East Centre and an introduction to the Middle East Centre team.

Randa Bessiso, Middle East Director at The University of Manchester, commented: “We are delighted to welcome our 37th cohort of Part-time MBA students in the Middle East – and the first as we celebrate the University’s bicentenary in 2024. It’s a large and diverse cohort of working professionals and it is pleasing to see such a strong contingent of female students in what is a very talented group of students. Diversity and inclusion are very important to the University and enriches the learning process. The Middle East Centre is the most diverse in the University’s international network and this is another benefit for students and alumni in the region. We wish the new cohort every success.”

In his welcome comments, Xavier Duran, MBA Programmes Director at Alliance Manchester Business School, shared some advice with students embarking on this transformative journey: “plan, plan, plan, because time is precious; make the most of the programme by engaging with the team as much as possible because you get out of the programme what you put in; enjoy the journey – and there’s a lot to be enjoyed.”

The University’s Alliance Manchester Business School offers two MBA intakes per year (January and July) for a range of faculty-led, flexible learning Manchester part-time MBA programme options – Global Part-time MBA, Finance Accelerated MBA, Global Executive MBA. The Global Part-time MBA offers options to accelerate study and as much face-to-face time with faculty as most full-time MBA programmes. The Middle East Centre’s dynamic portfolio also includes specialist part-time master’s programmes – MA Educational Leadership in Practice, and MSc Financial Management. Alongside these, the Centre has recently introduced a new range of executive education short business courses (including Leading Digital Transformation; Managing Complex Business Challenges; Leading ESG and Sustainability; Finance for Non Financial Leaders; Psychology of Leading People; Leading and Implementing Innovation; Data and AI for Leaders; Leading Major Projects)

Alliance Manchester Business School’s full-time MBA has been ranked 46th in the world, 13th in Europe, and 5th in the UK in the 2023 Financial Times Global MBA Ranking, which also ranks the school 1st in the UK and 7th globally for Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG), recognising the proportion of teaching hours dedicated to ethics, social and environmental issues.

Last Updated on 10 months by News Desk 1