Doha, February 12, 2018:   Al Khaliji Commercial Bank (al khaliji) P.Q.S.C., Qatar’s next generation bank, through its ongoing commitment to the communities in which it operates, continues to support students, by helping to build their knowledge to ensure academic excellence, which can in turn, enable them to gain the necessary expertise to achieve professional development and growth.

In line with the Bank's commitment to play a more active role in supporting educational and social responsibility initiatives in Qatar and beyond, Mr. Shabbir Barkat Ali, Chief Financial Officer of al khaliji Bank, recently attended a focus group meeting at the College of North Atlantic - Qatar (CNA-Q). The focus group was a meeting of industry professionals tasked to analyze the local labour market needs and professional trends related to the College’s Business Management – Account diploma program.   

As part of the Bank's dedication to play more of a direct role in supporting educational and social responsibility initiatives in Qatar and globally, Mr. Shabbir Barkat Ali shared his expertise and experiential knowledge on matters related to finance at the focus group.

Shabbir Barkat Ali was among other nine professionals, including the Heads of Finance for Ahli & Hamad hospitals, the Head of Treasury and Corporate Finance of Nebras Power, and the Head-Treasury & Investments of Qatar International Islamic Bank (QIIB) to assess the current review of School of Business Studies - Accounting program at CNA-Q.  The event was also attended by the Dean of Business Studies, David King, and the Chair of the Program Development Office, Stephanie Dalton.

Speaking at the review session, Mr. Shabbir Barkat Ali, Chief Financial Officer of al khaliji Bank, said:
”The program has 70 percent Qatari enrollment ratio, which is in line with our Bank's strategy of supporting Qatar Vision 2030. This is aimed at capacity building in the younger generation of Qataris.” 

He further said: “The second curricular review meeting will be scheduled in a couple of months from now where the revised program incorporating everyone's feedback will be presented to all the concerned officials for a final discussion. Once agreed, this revised program will then be put forward to the approving body, the Academic Council of CNA-Q. This authority is comprised of local and international educational, governmental and industrial partners. Institutions such as CNA-Q are making a vital contribution to the higher education sector in Qatar. Al khaliji bank’s participation in such focus groups bodes well with our broader Corporate Social Responsibility agenda of giving back to the society.”

Dean of Business Studies, Mr. David King, said:
“We are pleased that esteemed industry professionals, such as Mr. Shabbir Barkat Ali, are able to attend our focus group to bring vital feedback for the continuing improvement of our Business Management – Accounting program. It is valuable feedback from industry partners that help the College ensure our programs are responsive and tailored to the needs to Qatar’s economy.”

CNA-Q endeavors to keep its programs relevant to the local labour market, and therefore every five years each diploma is critically reviewed for any changes that may need to be introduced. Part of this review process is to host focus groups, to which senior professionals from various sectors of the economy are invited to share their inputs and debate the current offerings of the program.

College of the North Atlantic-Qatar (CNA-Q) has established its place as the premier institute of applied learning in Qatar. The result of a partnership between the State of Qatar and College of the North Atlantic in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, CNA-Q offers an unparalleled educational experience to students from more than 20 countries. 

Since opening its doors in 2002, CNA-Q has graduated more than 5,000 students to enter the workforce locally and contribute to Qatar’s National Vision 2030. The School of Business Studies offers a 3-year Accounting Diploma, which is one of the 30 different diplomas that the institution offers. 

Going forward, al khaliji will continue to initiate different programs that introduce students and young talents to the finance and banking sector, while pushing forward the Bank’s vision of converging human capital, technology and business to unlock future opportunities and achieve social, economic and environmental prosperity for the society.