ZU Joins CFA Institute University Affiliation Program as the First Educational Body in the UAE

CFA Institute, the global association of investment professionals, confirmed that Zayed University is the first university in the United Arab Emirates to join the CFA Institute University Affiliation Program. The affiliation was announced at an event organized at the Zayed University Abu Dhabi campus and hosted by His Excellency Prof. Reyadh AlMehaideb, Zayed University Vice President, alongside a number of faculty members and attendees.

The University Affiliation Program recognises academic institutions that embed a significant portion of the CFA® Program Candidate Body of Knowledge™ (CBOK) into their curriculum. Through cooperation with universities around the world, the network promotes ethics-based investment education in university degree programs aimed at developing investment professionals. (Full list of current participants in the University Affiliation Program).

“It gives us great honour to be part of the CFA Institute University Affiliation Program. This signals to students and employers alike that the Zayed University curriculum is closely tied to the practice of investment management and heightens awareness of ethics in daily practice at an early stage. This is crucial in adequately preparing students to sit for the CFA exams.” AlMehaideb said.

Zayed University has established itself as the premier national university in the UAE and a regional leader in educational innovation and change. Founded in 1998 and proudly bearing the name of the Founder of the Nation – the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan – this flagship institution has met the President’s expectations. Today, Zayed University has campuses in Dubai and Abu Dhabi that welcome both national and international students.

Neil Govier, CFA, Head of University Relations at CFA Institute, commented: “Students in these programs study the Candidate Body of Knowledge, which includes the principles and skills identified by practitioners worldwide as essential for successful practice. Through mastery of the fundamentals of the CFA Program, as well as the Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct, these future investment professionals establish a strong foundation which help to prepare them to join the growing CFA Institute community, which is dedicated to promoting the highest standards of ethics, education, and professional excellence for the ultimate benefit of society.”

Prof. Paul Williams, Dean of the College of Business at Zayed University added: “This new alliance between Zayed University and the CFA Institute University Affiliation Program is of strategic significance to us, as it is one of the building blocks in our plan to become the premier business school in the GCC region. In addition to incorporating the Candidate Body of Knowledge into our undergraduate offering, we also are adapting our Masters program to align more closely with the CFA curriculum, beginning with specific preparation courses for our students.”

Joseph Smallman, Instructor and CFA Principal Contact at Zayed University, said: “At Zayed University we believe in a blended approach for higher education which combines training, theory and practical application; we have a number of the world’s leading academics and practitioners preparing students for the world of finance along with luminaries and guest lecturers offering our students insights at a range of events.”