First Gulf Bank to sponsor HCT professor of business

ABU DHABI // The First Gulf Bank is sponsoring a professor of business at the Higher Colleges of Technology for the next three years. The professor will work across all 16 campuses at the HCT, a federal government university, to help improve academic standards. Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak, the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research and the HCT Chancellor, signed an agreement to create the post with First Gulf Bank's chief executive, Andre Sayegh.

The First Gulf Bank Professor of Business will also work to evaluate the performance of students and to offer faculty opportunities to improve their skills. "The HCT aims to provide the highest quality business programmes to our students", stated Dr Tayeb Kamali, the Vice Chancellor. "The support of First Gulf Bank enables HCT to enhance its business programmes. This person will be a part of a team which will produce graduates with a strong foundation in the field of business."

No one has yet been appointed to the post, since the agreement to create it was signed only this week. "It is our constant endeavour to develop UAE nationals across all levels through various initiatives, including sponsoring young nationals for higher education," Mr Sayegh said. The HCT, founded in 1988, is for Emiratis and is one of three federal universities, the others being Zayed University and UAE University. Men and women are taught at separate colleges.