A new cohort of executives will start their Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) studies at American University of Sharjah (AUS) on Friday, April 13, 2012 at the university's School of Business and Management (SBM).

"As the School of Business and Management is preparing for a new cohort of executives to start the program on April 13, we also want to congratulate the first team of students to complete the new EMBA program. Having finished two years of course work, the group leaves next week on a study tour to the US to meet with business leaders in Washington and New York," said Dr. Rob Bateman, Director of Graduate and Executive Programs at SBM.

The US study tour will include meeting senior executives from JP Morgan, China Telecom, Rosen Partners and NASDAQ. The delegates will also be addressed by a representative from the US Federal Reserve and former US Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce John Doll. They will also attend a working lunch with senior executives from the US-UAE Business Council.

The AUS EMBA program is designed for high-potential leaders looking to unlock the growth potential of enterprises in the Gulf. Its unique American-style curriculum integrates strategic management theory with professional skill building in a format that encourages immediate application to the challenges of executive leadership and organizational governance in an international context.

The program focuses on developing leadership and decision-making skills, as well as learning from cross-functional business approaches, strategies, techniques and technologies around the world to identify useful new ideas and stimulate creative problem solving. The cohort-based approach promotes dialogue among participants and fosters a network of innovative thinkers who create solutions that serve business needs throughout the region. The tour will introduce participants to world markets in a structured setting.

Meeting on alternate weekends, the program minimizes disruptions in participants' work schedules. The EMBA requires completion of 45 credits in eight modules. Portions of each module are integrated with supporting elements from other modules to facilitate immediate application of new knowledge.

With more than 80 full-time, resident program faculty from 28 countries, the AUS EMBA program offers students personal attention from professors who understand the context of business in the Gulf region and beyond.