Tribune News Network
Doha
The University of Doha for Science and Technology (UDST) has inaugurated on its premises an educational Banking and FinTech Trading Room, which is considered a first in the region. This new addition to the University’s state-of-the-art educational facilities is meant to facilitate applied and experiential learning for students enrolled in the College of Business Management programmes.
The event was attended by Qatar Financial Centre CEO Yousuf Mohamed Al Jaida, QNB Group Retail Banking GM Adel Al Malki, UDST President Dr Salem Al Naemi, a number of officials from the banking and finance sectors in Qatar including high-level representatives from Qatar Financial Centre, KPMG, Ernst & Young, Qatar Stock Exchange, Al Jazeera Media Network and London Stock Exchange Group.
Commenting on the event, Naemi said, "We aim to develop our students’ skills and competencies in a real-world setup, to graduate well-equipped talents capable of integrating into the workplace from day one. Our Banking and FinTech Trading Room will serve all our business management students and in particular, those enrolled in the Bachelor of Applied Business Administration in Banking and Financial Technology program and the Bachelor of Applied Business Administration in Applied Accounting program.”
Naemi said, "This room is a testament to the university’s innovative approach to education. We wish to thank all the dignitaries that were present today at the opening and we look forward to initiating long-term collaboration with their respective institutions. We have many plans for the future of our Banking and FinTech Trading Room and the main highlight would be a collaborative research platform.”
Speaking on the occasion, Jaida said, "We encourage students to acquire the financial skill set needed for the future. There is a big number of job vacancies created by Qatar Financial Centre and there are many openings in the financial market waiting for skilled and talented people the likes of UDST graduates. We look forward to hosting interns at our premises and collaborating on many new programs.”
The state-of-the-art Banking and FinTech Trading Room brings innovative financial intelligence to UDST and provides a more engaging experience for students and faculty. The room enables students to hone new employment skills and further understand data-empowered decisions while undertaking accounting, finance, and financial modelling in an advanced setup. It provides real-time data sets and facilitates joint research projects with major entities from the finance, banking and business sectors.
During the opening, London Stock Exchange Group Business Director, Data & Analytics Ahmed Hafez said, "I would like to thank the University of Doha for Science and Technology for their trusted partnership with the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) is powering this lab with data and analytics, bringing the next generation of financial intelligence to academic institutions and providing a more interactive learning experience for all students and faculty alike. This exciting opportunity will maximize applied learning for the students of the University with the richness of LSEG real-world market data, a powerful mix of news and unrivalled content coverage with cutting-edge Web technology that is fast, light and intuitive. I also have to commend the exceptional vision of the University’s leadership in bringing this visionary idea to life. It does not only need a lot of effort but also a lot of investment in the future. I can mention here that this is the first trading lab of its kind in any academic institution in the region and we take pride in partnering and supporting it.”
UDST is the first National Applied University to offer applied bachelor’s degrees and master’s degrees programs in addition to certificates and diplomas. UDST has over 50 programs in the fields of Engineering Technology and Industrial Trades, Business Management, Computing and Information Technology, Health Sciences, Continuing and Professional Education and development and more.
The University is recognised for its student-centred learning and state-of-the-art training facilities. UDST boasts of more than 20 years of experience in Qatar; it started as a College and transformed into a university in 2022.