Cass Business School is to partner with the United Arab Emirates’ capital markets regulator, the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA), to deliver an educational programme aimed at enabling a "home grown" pool of high quality regulators in the Gulf region.

Cass will be working with the UK Securities and Investment Institute (SII) to provide a 10-week programme in London for SCA candidates combining a bespoke set of courses with a selection of seminars, action learning projects and visits to key London financial institutions. Candidates will also get the opportunity to meet with UK regulators and market practitioners and develop an appreciation of the international business market.

The first programme is scheduled to begin in early 2008 and will cover a comprehensive range of banking and capital market topics directly relevant to the needs of the modern financial regulator, such as risk management, governance and international banking. The formal teaching will take place at Cass’s two London locations – the School’s main site in Moorgate and the new premises at Canary Wharf.

As the participants will return to regulatory roles with the SCA in Abu Dhabi after completion, the course will provide an understanding of financial market activities in the UK and globally. It will also allow the exploration of parallels and synergies with the current and future regulatory operations of the UAE and the Middle-East region, with the role of regulation in those markets as a recurrent theme.

His Excellency Abdulla Al Turaifi, Chief Executive Officer of the SCA, said: "This partnership between the SCA and Cass Business School embodies the ambition of the SCA to equip new graduates with the skills and knowledge needed for regulatory authority. We hope that this partnership can be expanded to incorporate suitable candidates from other Gulf Cooperation Council States which are members of the newly established Union of Arab Securities Authorities (UASA)."

Dr.Emad Eddien Hussein, SCA’s advisor for Organisational Development and International Cooperation said: "This programme with Cass will pave the way to generate the badly needed skills and knowledge in the capital market field, in general, and regulatory industry in particular in the Gulf region. Part of the SCA’s strategic development is to invest in human assets and this partnership is an integral component of this scheme."

Richard Gillingwater, Dean of Cass Business School, said: "It is an honour for Cass to work with the SCA on this unique educational programme and we hope the participants find the opportunities for professional and personal growth to be very valuable. With the banking sector becoming increasingly global, we hope the exposure to international best practice, both in banking and regulation, helps the participants grow in their individual careers back in the Gulf region."

Professor Scott Moeller, Chief Executive and Director of Cass Executive Education, said: ’This programme builds on Cass’ pre-eminence in the teaching of financial topics to executives throughout the world and our school’s own presence in the Middle East. We will use business games, trading simulations, case studies and a number of other teaching methods to assist in the development of the SCA delegates.’