STDC's European Tour Sparks Nine New Global Partnerships
The Sharjah Training and Development Centre, under the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, recently completed a highly successful official tour across France, the UK, and Spain, marking a significant milestone in its mission to expand its global partnerships. The delegation, led by H.E. Maryam Saif Al Shamsi, Assistant Director General of Support Services Sector at the Sharjah Chamber, signed nine strategic agreements with prestigious universities, academic institutions, and official entities in these countries.
Among the most notable collaborations are agreements with the Granada Chamber of Commerce’s School of Management, Kellogg College at the University of Oxford, Cambridge Training College Britain, and London Strategy Centre. These partnerships are designed to facilitate knowledge exchange, the development of innovative training programs, and leadership development initiatives, all of which will play a crucial role in shaping the future of business management and strategic leadership training in the UAE.
The tour’s achievements were met with praise from key diplomats and leaders. In France, H.E Fahad Saeed Al Raqbani, UAE Ambassador to France, and H.E Ahmed Almulla, Deputy Head of Mission at the UAE Embassy in Paris, welcomed the delegation and praised the partnerships for reinforcing STDC’s standing as a global leader in leadership development and institutional innovation.
In the UK, the delegation was received by Sheikh Khaled Al Qasimi, Deputy Chief of Mission at the UAE Embassy in London, and Mansour Al Mansouri, Head of Economic Affairs at the UAE Embassy. Discussions centred on the importance of aligning STDC’s programs with European standards, ultimately equipping the UAE workforce with the skills needed for the global market.
Similarly, in Spain, the delegation met with Ibrahim Ali Al Nuaimi, Head of Political, Media, and Public Diplomacy Affairs at the UAE Embassy in Madrid, to explore opportunities with Spanish institutions that will further enhance leadership and management development programs.
One of the standout highlights from the tour was STDC’s productive meeting with the Arab-British Chamber of Commerce in London. The meeting explored opportunities to strengthen trade ties between the UK and Sharjah, and the collaboration with the London Strategy Centre was especially praised for its potential to elevate professional development initiatives in both regions.
Reflecting on the tour’s success, H.E. Maryam Saif Al Shamsi emphasised STDC’s commitment to becoming a global hub for advanced training and leadership development. She stressed that these new partnerships align with the Chamber’s strategic goal of promoting institutional excellence, human capital development, and innovation in the workplace.
Amal Abdullah Al Ali, Director of STDC, highlighted the importance of these collaborations in advancing the Centre’s capabilities. She noted that STDC’s partnership with the School of Management at the Granada Chamber of Commerce and the University of Granada in 2023 laid the foundation for the recently launched “Strategic Business Leadership” programme, which underscores STDC’s commitment to delivering world-class training and executive development programs.
Dr. Khaled Maqlad, Consultant for SMEs and Entrepreneurship Development at SCCI, also expressed optimism about the future, noting that these new agreements would empower business leaders to hone their strategic management and leadership skills, further enhancing STDC’s role as a leading provider of internationally accredited training.
These partnerships mark a significant step forward for the Sharjah Training and Development Centre, positioning it as a global leader in leadership and management training, with a strong focus on meeting evolving global standards. The Centre’s collaboration with top-tier institutions in France, the UK, and Spain will undoubtedly pave the way for innovative, cutting-edge programs that will benefit the UAE’s workforce and business community in the years to come.
With STDC’s continued efforts to strengthen its global partnerships and introduce cutting-edge training programs, the future of leadership development in Sharjah looks bright, and the Centre is well on its way to becoming a world-class training hub.
