East Lansing’s Michigan State University, in association with Tampa, Fla. digital learning provider Bisk Education Inc., is delivering MSU’s executive education programs to businesses and professionals in the United Arab Emirates through the University of Dubai.
The first phase of the programs in the UAE will focus on supply chain management and business analytics certificate courses.
“This is an exciting initiative for Michigan State University,” says David Frayer, assistant dean at MSU’s Broad College of Business. “Michigan State University has long seen tremendous interest in these courses from the UAE and the wider Middle East region, so making them more accessible through an agreement with a great institution like the University of Dubai allows us to better meet the needs of the local market.”
Recognizing that the needs of a professional audience in the UAE have some differences with those in other markets, faculty from MSU will provide its curriculum, while faculty from UD will work to ensure that curriculum is applied in a local context.
“Michigan State University is a global leader in supply chain, business, and management research,” says Vidya Nandagopal, director of the Centre for Executive Development at the University of Dubai. “Its expertise is relevant all over the world, however, industry needs may be slightly different in the Middle East compared to the U.S. Our faculty is pleased to be working with Michigan State University to deliver even greater relevance for businesses in the region.”
As part of a global online program, participants enrolled through the UD will benefit from the expertise of faculty from the UAE and U.S., as well as engagement with participants from other markets.
Bisk is the Broad College of Business’ online education partner. It has worked alongside MSU to enable a program that allows for true global collaboration.
“For many, the notion of an international classroom simply means having students from around the world studying together online,” says Mike Bisk, CEO of Bisk. “The problem is that the orientation of the curriculum is not always so ‘international.’ By bringing in academic experts from key regions of the world and having their faculty provide local context, we are delivering a true world view of the Michigan State University subject matter, with local application, to students in multiple markets.”
The programs being launched in the UAE through UD are the Global Master Certificate in Integrated Supply Chain Management and the Global Master Certificate in Business Analytics.
Each program will comprise three courses and is designed not only for industry professionals to enhance and expand their knowledge of each field, but also contribute to the ongoing reskilling and upskilling needs of the markets. The first eight-week course in each of these programs will launch April 1, 2019.
