Dubai, March 24, 2015: University of Dubai is leading new trends in training and development in the region with its continuing education arm, Center of Executive Development (CED), emerging as a pioneer in delivering the latest programmes in this field. Since 2004, CED has trained more than 6,000 individuals, many of whom have gone on to occupy senior positions in their organisations and make significant contributions in the field of business. New possibilities are emerging in training and development as companies try to make the best of the opportunities provided by global economic activity. According to the World Bank Global Economic Prospects report, overall global growth is expected to rise moderately to 3.0 per cent in 2015, and average about 3.3 per cent through 2017. Stronger economic activity and global economic recovery indicate higher investment by companies in training and development programmes. ìUniversity of Dubaiís CED has been selecting new programmes based on the market needs and the countryís strategic direction. Our close relations with the Dubai Chamber have enabled CED to gain vital insights on the market requirements which have helped us develop programmes around these requirements,î said Vidya Nandagopal, PhD, Manager of CED. Kelly Bokhari, Assistant Manager of CED added: ìCED helps University of Dubai to reach the goals of continuing the educational opportunities for not only our students but also the community at large.† Our aim is to serve the business community and to help them gain knowledge and certifications in their specific fields in order to advance in their careers.î The CED programmes are primarily targeted at professionals in the workforce for certification programmes as well as government and business entities requiring customised programmes. One of the unique projects in this direction is a luxury programme for executives focusing on Luxury Brand and Retail Management. The programme which will be offered from November 1 to 5, 2015, will provide professionals from all sectors a global perspective to the luxury sector and various businesses associated with the sector. It will enable participants to establish direct contact with worldwide experts with both academic and professional experience in the luxury field. Top-level guest speakers will share their best practices during the programme. Participants will also benefit from exclusive visits to luxury brands and opportunity to network with professionals of distinct sectors. In view of the heightened retail activity, the CED launched last year a new Retail Certification Series in partnership with Retail Pro International to foster sustained retail growth in the Middle East. The training series is the first of its kind in the UAE and the region aimed at equipping retailers with today’s best practices and advancing their enterprises in a growing retail market. Among the recent programmes, CED has joined hands with IDcentre, The Netherlands, to offer a comprehensive training that will enable participants to gain expertise in secured documents and enable them to tackle identity theft, identity abuse and money fraud. The new course, ID & Secured Printed Document fraud, will benefit personnel working in sectors such as banking, immigration and police as well as any other sector that handles secure documents or money. In other initiatives, CED has been successfully offering a Professional Diploma in Entrepreneurship and Business Plan Development in partnership with Citigroup to provide budding female entrepreneurs with a comprehensive support network and training scheme to establish their own businesses. In partnership with Thunderbird School of Global Management, CED has developed a customised training programme for managers to help improve their leadership and communication skills, and enable them to motivate their staff effectively. The course is also designed to enhance their presentation and networking capabilities, and help them better understand their roles as true leaders. CED has also held training programmes custom designed to cover areas such as managing multiple tasks, priorities, risk analysis, team management and communications. Expecting increased requirement for executive management development programmes and professional certification as companies move to leverage the competitive advantage of their workforce, the CED is looking to launch more programmes in the retail sector as well as programmes on creativity and innovation. It will also come up with additional entrepreneur courses, financial training courses and certifications, and strategic workforce training.