The University of Manchester was a winner at the Forbes Middle East Higher Education Awards 2019, with the presentation taking place at a gala awards occasion hosted at the Taj Dubai hotel in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The Middle East Centre team led by Randa Bessiso, Director – Middle East, received the Forbes Middle East ‘Best MBA’ award in recognition of the outstanding success of the Manchester Global Part-time MBA in the region.
The award was presented to the Middle East Centre team by Mr. Mohammad Abdullah, Managing Director of Dubai Knowledge Park and Dubai International Academic City; and Khuloud Al Omian, Editor-in-Chief of Forbes Middle East.
The Forbes Middle East Higher Education Awards gala event also included a higher education panel, which discussed regional education topics including the role of Dubai as a regional hub for education and the impact of technologies such as AI and automation on the sector. The panellists included the heads of three private universities operating in the UAE, while Randa represented the views from a global university perspective in the region and pursuing a transnational strategy. She also highlighted the merits of the part-time blended learning model, which has been the platform for the success of the Global MBA in the region. The panel was moderated by Mansoor Ahmed, Director (MENA Region) Healthcare, Education and PPP at Colliers International.
The formalities concluded with a keynote presentation by Mr. Mohammad Abdullah, who commented on the vital importance of the sector in supporting Dubai’s smart city and knowledge economy ambitions, and as a regional hub for education capable of attracting global talent.