The Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) has announced the establishment of the Zayed Center of Excellence for Financial Research, at the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT)-Abu Dhabi Women’s campus. Main objectives of the Center is to collaborate with HCT on research related to Finance including, but not limited to, finance-related data analytics, financial technology services, artificial intelligence, blockchain, data management, areas of innovation in stock markets, different financial instruments, and investment research. In addition to introducing students to research in finance and prepare them for employment in the financial sector in the UAE
The center, which is an example of ADX continuously dedicating its efforts towards training UAE Nationals and supporting applied research in the UAE, will provide a space for students and faculty members to conduct training and competitions for virtual trading in securities.
The center was inaugurated by H.E. Khalifa Salem Al Mansouri, Acting Chief Executive of ADX and H.E. Dr. Abdullatif Al Shamsi, President and CEO of the Higher Colleges of Technology. In the presence of a number of senior ADX personnel and faculty members of HCT.
As part of the inauguration ceremony, the winners of the competition for research projects organized by the Joint Research Committee between ADX and HCT were honored. The competition aimed at encouraging students to carry out research projects of common interest to both HCT and ADX.
H.E. Dr. Abdullatif Al Shamsi expressed his pleasure at working with ADX to enhance students’ training and employment opportunities in the financial sector, as well as encouraging them towards the field of entrepreneurship.
He affirmed the HCT 4.0 strategy in compliance with the “Fifty Year Charter” launched by H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister, Ruler of Dubai, where article 6 therein stipulates that UAE public and private universities will be announced as “… free zones that allow students to carry out business and creative activities, make these activities part of the education and graduation system, and shape integrated economic and creative zones around the universities. These zones will support students with education, research and funding during the launch of their projects. We want our universities to not only graduate students, but also create companies and employers.”
H.E. Dr. Al Shamsi added that the HCT is the first higher education institution in the UAE to launch the first economic free zone in its Dubai colleges. “The HCT therefore continues to expand its partnerships the industry and the establishment of the Zayed Centre of Excellence for Financial Research will empower our female students to execute their own projects and provide innovative services in finance in view of their increased awareness of the local and international financial issues and events,” Dr Al Shamsi said.
H.E. Khalifa Al Mansouri, Acting Chief Executive of ADX, emphasized the importance of the relations between the labor market and academia in the UAE to support research activities in the various financial sectors, and to prepare national youth for employment in line with Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030.
H.E. added that he was greatly pleased with the opening of the Zayed Centre of Excellence for Financial Research, stating that it will be expanded, in the future through opening other “branches” in all HCT campuses across the UAE.
