HCT to Establish Chair - “ALDAR Dean of Business Studies”
Property Development Company to also sponsor HCT students
ALDAR Properties PJSC, the leading integrated property development company, will sponsor the chair, “Dean of Business Studies”, at the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT). Under an agreement signed today, ALDAR will also sponsor five UAE nationals in HCT’s real estate management programme.
Signalling a new partnership between HCT and ALDAR, the agreement was signed by His Excellency Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research and Chancellor of HCT, and Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh, Chairman, ALDAR Properties.
Pursuant to the agreement, HCT will establish the chair “ALDAR Dean of Business Studies”. Specialised seminars and training programmes relevant to the real estate industry will also be offered to HCT students. Other aspects of the agreement include internship programmes with ALDAR to help HCT students build on-the-job skills, and tours to ALDAR projects to expose them to opportunities within the real estate industry.
His Excellency Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research and Chancellor of HCT, praised ALDAR’s initiative as a demonstration of its commitment to the development of national human resources, as envisioned by President HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and HH General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.
“This agreement is in line with HCT’s strategy of providing quality education to the widest possible base of UAE nationals. In pursuing that objective, HCT have carved out innovative programmes catering to a wide spectrum of the UAE population and forged strong partnerships with leading institutions. We hope our partnership with ALDAR will contribute significantly to those noble objectives,” Sheikh Nahayan said.
Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh, Chairman, ALDAR Properties, described the agreement as “another testament to ALDAR’s commitment to its social responsibilities.” “As a leading property developer, ALDAR is naturally keen to see that young nationals take up business studies, including ones specifically focused on real estate management. Through our partnership with HCT, we hope to build a broad base of highly skilled nationals who can contribute proactively to the development of their country.”
Tayeb Kamali, Vice Chancellor, HCT, said ”HCT has a mandate to develop the national workforce and introduce innovative technologies to the UAE and GCC region. We believe this agreement will provide our students with a solid platform from which to launch successful careers and to potentially build their own businesses.”
This agreement will be a valuable addition to a host of initiatives launched by ALDAR in association with world-renowned academic and professional institutions. These initiatives included the Leadership Excellence Applied Diploma (LEAD) Program, launched in partnership with Cambridge University and Knowledge Horizon, and the RICS qualification programme, in conjunction with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. The LEAD programme aims to inspire a new generation for the UAE of tomorrow, while the RICS seeks to underpin professional standards in ALDAR's business using the RICS standards within working practices and also to increase and promote membership within the eligible workforce. The programme saw scores of ALDAR employees, including the first UAE national, qualify for the RICS membership.
