AUS SBA and Monitor Deloitte collaborate to equip students with in-demand consulting skills
Students in the American University of Sharjah (AUS) School of Business Administration (SBA) will embark on a practical educational journey to develop essential consulting skills following the university’s MOU signing with Monitor Deloitte, the strategy consulting arm of Deloitte Middle East. The partnership will provide students with exclusive access to the newly launched AUS SBA Consulting Skills Program, positioning them for thriving and rewarding careers within the industry.
Under this three-year partnership, the AUS SBA Consulting Skills Program encompasses specialized training sessions, talks by industry experts, competitions, internships and opportunities for fresh graduates. The program will provide students with a comprehensive understanding of consulting practices and equip them with skills that are highly sought after in the consulting industry.
“SBA has consistently led the way in crafting pioneering alliances with our industry counterparts, ensuring our students have unparalleled access to industry expertise. The AUS SBA Consulting Skills Program serves as a shining testament to our commitment to nurturing a robust, multi-faceted and enduring collaboration with our esteemed industry partners,” said Dr. Narjess Boubakri, Dean of SBA.
She added: “Monitor Deloitte has been a valuable, long-term partner to AUS and SBA, offering internships and career opportunities to our students and actively engaging in activities like guest lectures and competitions. They’ve embraced the chance to give back to our student community by co-establishing the AUS SBA Consulting Skills Program, investing time, resources and manpower.”
The on-campus MOU signing ceremony was attended by Dr. Narjess Boubakri, Dean of SBA; Eleni Papailia, Senior Manager of SBA Career Design Lab; Hassan Malik, Managing Partner, Monitor Deloitte; Arwa Aljalahma, Senior Manager at Monitor Deloitte; Amal Mohamed Badri, Strategy Consultant at Monitor Deloitte; and other senior officials from both institutions.
Eleni Papailia, Senior Manager of the SBA Career Design Lab, said: “The AUS SBA Consulting Skills Program represents a fresh approach to exploring career pathways within the consulting industry. Through the SBA Career Design Lab, we have been instrumental in initiating and designing the program, offering our students highly sought-after and transferable employability skills even before graduation.”
“The program’s inception was further catalyzed by the dedicated efforts of AUS alumnus Sultan Al Dhaheri, who graduated with a degree in finance in 2022. His pivotal role in initiating discussions and expanding the collaboration with Monitor Deloitte is commendable,” she added.
Hassan Malik, Managing Partner at Monitor Deloitte said, “We are thrilled to embark on this journey with the American University of Sharjah’s School of Business Administration. Our partnership is a testament to our unwavering commitment to nurturing the next generation of strategic thinkers and problem solvers. Monitor Deloitte is built on the foundation of great thinkers and innovators. As a result, we understand the profound influence that young visionary minds can have on shaping our future. Together, we will empower students to explore the realms of strategy consulting, knowledge exchange, and collaboration to make an impact that matters.”
SBA is one of the region’s top business schools, with QS World University Subject Rankings 2023 placing AUS as number one in the UAE and among the top 200 universities globally in the categories of business and management studies, and accounting and finance. At the graduate level, the AUS MBA program is ranked among the top 10 in the Middle East and Africa region and among the top 250 in the world in the QS Global MBA Rankings (2022). In addition, Times Higher Education places AUS among the top 400 universities worldwide for business and economics.
