55 high caliber candidates graduate from the Georgetown Professional Development Certificate Program

55 high potential candidates graduated from the region’s first Professional Development Certificate Program in FinTech delivered and certified by Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business. Successful candidates enrolled in the 3-month online Program received their certificates of completion in a final graduation ceremony. The certificate program also included working professionals from different fields, and sectors that want to specialize in this field. By the end of 2019, the Georgetown Professional Development Certificate Program will graduate over 100 candidates.

25 Bahraini University graduates were fully supported by the Tamkeen ‘Labor Fund, as part of their 6-month internship which included mentorship from partners of Bahrain FinTech Bay, and enrollment in the Georgetown FinTech Course. The FinTech Talent Program (FTP) is the first and only of its kind in the Middle East, which has been developed in partnership with global experts in finance and technology, including Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business.

Khalid Saad, CEO of Bahrain FinTech Bay, commented “We are delighted that the first Georgetown FinTech Course cohort has successfully completed the program. This is the first time a major university from the United States delivers a FinTech course tailored to the region from Bahrain. Bahrain FinTech Bay will continue with its push to further support the ecosystem through strategic talent development initiatives that keep abreast of the latest global developments and contribute also to Bahrain’s national development agenda.”

Tamkeen’s Chief Executive Dr Ebrahim Mohammed Janahi praised the outcomes of this program in meeting the demands of the financial services industry.

“Technology is indeed revolutionizing the world and new technologies emerged such as Fintech services and applications. Tamkeen strives to support such topics whether theoretically or technically for Individuals or Enterprises through its different programs and partnerships. The launch of National FinTech Talent Program comes in line with objectives to develop the professional skills and leading experience of Bahrainis in the latest FinTech trends,” Dr Janahi explained.

The Georgetown Professional Development Certificate Program in FinTech concluded on June 30th in a closing ceremony with 150 attendees. Attendees included the National FinTech Talent Program (FTP) partners, industry leaders, as well as family members of the graduated batch. Candidates delivered their final presentations and received their certificate of completion issued by Georgetown University. The final week of the program included Fire Side Chats, Guest Panels, final course presentations, and a graduation ceremony. Panelists for the 2-day program included included Cyril Ghanem; General Manager (International) – Souqalmal, Yazin Alirhayim; Founder & CEO – Verify and Abdullah Almoaiqel; Co-Founder – Rain, Khaled Zainalabedin; Founder & Managing Director – Alkeri Partners & Oqal Angels network (Bahrain Chapter), Kushal Shah; Partner (Dubai) & Head of Digital Practice (Asia) – Roland Berger, and Ali Majthoob; Associate Director – MEVP Partners, Abdulla Almoayed; CEO – Almoayed Technologies, and Ahmed Baloushi; Senior Vice President/Head of IT– Al Baraka Bank.

Candidates went through an in-depth 13-week program focusing on the 7 key FinTech verticals including crypt assets, digital banking, RegTech, InsurTech, peer-to-peer lending and crowdfunding, and Islamic FinTech. In addition, the course included a final case study which was a culmination of the knowledge gained across the different modules in this program. Candidates were able to test-drive their ideas and go through a customer discovery process, in creating a real-life startup or corporate innovation project. Bahrain FinTech Bay’s program kicked off with its first batch in early April 2019. The course comprised of seven modules and four case-studies led by Professor Jim Angel, a prominent figure within the Fintech landscape, and co-inventor of 12 FinTech patents.

Professor Jim Angel “This is an exciting cutting-edge program based here in Bahrain that allows students to learn and apply their learnings about the fast moving Fintech sector. In correlation with the current advancements happening in the region, we dive into open banking, InsurTech, payments, Blockchain, crypto-assets, and ICOs. In addition, we allow them to start 3 months entrepreneurial journey where they explore entrepreneurial opportunities and build a business idea that is showcased at the end of the program.”

The programme will be offered twice a year, and applications are open now for the next cohort. The 3 months online program; comprises of 7 modules and 4 case-studies. Candidates can attend 2 live modules in Bahrain to meet and interact with the Georgetown faculty. The program is delivered via an interactive online platform which contains live and recorded lecture by Georgetown professors, interviews and Q&A with subject matter experts, plus written material. The program is for students, working professionals, and any individual working in Finance, Technology, and anyone that has a keen interest in understanding the FinTech landscape. The course is designed to either equip candidates with the tools required to make their career within the industry, and expand their knowledge about the major trends in finance, technology, and regulation.

Source: bizbahrain