Dubai, UAE, 26 October 2015:  The Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) hosted yesterday a workshop on Islamic finance as part of its Bawabaty ‘My Gateway’ initiative that was launched last year with the aim to meet the needs of UAE Nationals wishing to pursue a career in financial services; to provide lifelong learning opportunities for our local community; and to support community education in financial services.

Bawabaty’s second event focused on Fundamentals of Islamic Banking and Finance, which is in line with the vision of the UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, of making Dubai the Capital of Islamic Economy. Through this workshop the DFSA contributes to the local community by raising awareness of differing aspects of Islamic finance in specific and in financial services generally.

Specifically tailored for UAE Nationals from universities and government entities across the UAE, the workshop covered areas of Islamic Business ethics, Islamic Economics and introduced participants to of the views of renowned scholars. The workshop was highly interactive, and participants completed a written assessment at the end of the workshop. The top ten participants will be selected by the DFSA to attend the formal examination administered by Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI) for an opportunity to obtain a certified qualification on Fundamentals of Islamic Banking and Finance. The remaining participants will have the option of attending the examination at a 50% discount.

The DFSA has continued its partnership with CISI, a respected professional body for those who work in the securities and investment industry in the UK. CISI developed and provided the training material for the workshop, and the training was conducted by one of the DFSA Islamic finance experts, Basheer Ahmad.

Mr Waleed Saeed Al Awadhi, Director, Operations and Corporate Affairs of the DFSA said: “We are very pleased to host this workshop and to contribute towards the “Dubai the Capital of Islamic Economy” initiative. This is part of our continuous efforts to engage with the Emirati community promoting knowledge and creating opportunities which UAE Nationals may leverage on. Our  aim is to primarily stay aligned with the vision of the UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and to provide a platform for the local community to come together to learn more about the Islamic finance industry. We will continue to partner with professional organisations to ensure that our local community are given the skills and tools needed to play an active role in the workforce”.

The event attracted some 50 participants who were welcomed from a number of universities and government entities across the UAE. The participants were exposed to lively, well-informed and instructive discussions, allowing for fruitful exchanges of ideas and opinions on a wide range of issues related to Islamic finance in the business environment internationally and in the UAE.