ESA LAUNCHES ITS EXECUTIVE MASTER IN ISLAMIC FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT IN SAUDI ARABIA IN COOPERATION WITH EFFAT UNIVERSITY

On Monday, 11th of May 2009, Ecole Supérieure des Affaires (ESA) signed a cooperation agreement with Effat University in Jeddah, according to which ESA provides the Saudi university with a curriculum for a master’s degree in Islamic financial management. It is the first time that ESA crosses the Lebanese borders to sell a turnkey program to a partner university, firmly confirming its role as a genuine academic hub in the region.

The Executive Master in Islamic Financial Management (XIFM) is a post-graduate degree designed for high potential finance managers looking for a career in fields related to the Islamic Finance industry. The program started in October 2008, in Beirut, as a joint project between ESA and the Rotterdam School of Management (RSM) of the Erasmus University in the Netherlands. The program conforms with the conditions of the European LMD system.

The XIFM will start in Jeddah in October 2009. ESA is responsible for the design of the entire curriculum for Saudi Arabia, while Effat University is in charge of the promotion and operational management of the XIFM in Jeddah. Courses will be given by the best professors of the field and at least one of the master courses will take place in ESA campus in Beirut.

The XIFM comprises 15 master courses representing a total of 420 hours of class work. The curriculum integrates both conventional finance and Islamic finance while focusing on managerial dimensions, the innovative aspect of the Master’s degree. During the program, participants are presented with a variety of risk-assessment and decision-making tools. They also learn how to build portfolios of Islamic financial products, before assessing the inherent risks and performance in comparison with conventional financial techniques which are also given under the XIFM. The courses are given in English.

For more information on the new program, call ESA at 00 961 1 373 373 or visit our website: www.esa.edu.lb/XIFM.

You can also go to www.effatuniversity.edu.sa for more information about Effat University and www.rsm.nl to learn more about the Rotterdam School of Management.