AUS hosts inaugural MENA-Asian conference on finance and sustainability

More than 75 academics, policymakers and industry practitioners gathered at American University of Sharjah (AUS) on November 21–23, 2024 to exchange ideas and conduct in-depth analyses of critical issues at the intersection of finance, banking, financial economics and sustainability during the inaugural MENA-Asian Conference of the Financial Engineering and Banking Society (MENA-Asia FEBS 2024). 

The event, organized by the AUS School of Business Administration (SBA), provided a platform for exploring transformative research and industry insights, while emphasizing developments in the MENA and Asian regions.

The conference featured a keynote address by Professor Iftekhar Hasan, University Professor and E. Gerald Corrigan Chair in International Business and Finance at Fordham University's Gabelli School of Business. The conference offered 19 concurrent sessions covering essential topics such as sustainable investment strategies, green finance initiatives, climate-related financial risks, banking, Financial markets, Fintech, corporate finance and financial regulation and supervision. 

Dr. Narjess Boubakri, Dean of SBA and conference co-chair, highlighted the event’s significance: “The MENA-Asia FEBS 2024 conference has successfully united leading scholars and industry experts to address the most pressing financial and economic challenges facing our region and beyond. It is through such collaborations that we can advance research, drive innovation and contribute meaningfully to sustainable economic development.”

The event was sponsored by the Bank of Sharjah Chair in Finance and Emirates NBD, underscoring the financial sector’s commitment to academic and research advancement in the region.

The AUS School of Business Administration is recognized for its excellence in business education and research, both at the local and international levels. According to the QS World University Rankings 2024, AUS is ranked number one in the UAE and among the top 200 universities globally for accounting and finance. It holds the second position in the UAE and ranks among the top 250 universities globally for business and management studies and is also ranked first in the UAE and among the top 350 universities worldwide in economics and econometrics.

To learn more about the AUS School of Business Administration, visit www.aus.edu/sba.