American University of Sharjah (AUS) has joined an elite group of universities who have achieved Bloomberg Experiential Learning Partner Program (ELP) status. AUS is one of only 35 universities worldwide, and the first in the MENA region, to be awarded the prestigious accolade.

The program is designed by Bloomberg to recognize and celebrate universities who are leaders in experiential learning. Through the program, Bloomberg is building an international community of peer institutions and academics who are forerunners in providing innovative financial education. To become an Experiential Learning Partner, universities must integrate Bloomberg courses into their curricula, and have at least 100 students complete Bloomberg Markets Certification each year.

Dr. Anis Samet, Associate Professor of Finance at AUS, explains the benefits of integrating Bloomberg tools into his students’ learning:

“Our partnership with Bloomberg, and the achievement of ELP status, recognizes our innovative approach to connecting our teaching experience with real-life practical applications. Using Bloomberg tools, our students can practice portfolio management of international stocks, as well as assess portfolio performance; analyze stocks, bonds and derivatives; and alternative assets. Our students also learn how to integrate Bloomberg software with Excel, extracting Bloomberg data and analytics into Excel spreadsheets.”

Students of AUS’ School of Business Administration (SBA) have access to 22 Bloomberg Terminals in the SBA Interactive Trading Floor (ITF), which was financed by HSBC, allowing students real-time access to Bloomberg’s global network of financial data, market and economic news, and financial software. The ITF has also been used by industry, with the Sharjah Finance Ministry and Sharjah Asset Management and Securities and Commodities Authority both undertaking training in the facility. The ITF also prepares SBA students well for future careers in the finance industry. SBA graduates regularly go onto employment in leading international firms, with the skills and knowledge necessary to immediately contribute value in their new roles.

For Dr. Jörg Bley, Dean of SBA, it is these close links between financial education and the business world that make SBA graduates so popular among employers. He says:

“Our students have a real advantage when entering the workforce upon graduation. Bloomberg terminals are an essential tool in the finance industry. The SBA Interactive Trading Floor, which houses the terminals, is akin to any trading floor in the major financial centers of London, Dubai and New York. Our students can use these terminals whenever they like. This experience, combined with the knowledge our students acquire through Bloomberg Markets Concepts Certification, ensures that our graduates are ready to compete for the most sought-after finance jobs not just in MENA, but internationally.”

The awarding of ELP status builds upon SBA’s long list of impressive honors, including accreditation by the prestigious Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International). Less than five percent of business schools worldwide have achieved this distinction. SBA has also been named by U.S News University Rankings as the best business school in the Arab World (2016). For more information, please visit www.aus.edu/sba.