The Higher Colleges of Technology, HCT, has acted upon the UAE Government’s directives for more Emirati nationals to be skilled in a variety of specialised sectors with the announcement of its new HASAAD Programme, which will see young Emiratis trained in the growing field of Internal Audit.
The HASAAD Programme is unique, being the first of its kind globally. It is designed to be the primary programme for training national internal auditors in the UAE and will therefore provide the UAE with a continuous supply of young Emiratis with the tools and skills-set required to meet industry needs, and to successfully grow their careers in this highly specialised field.
The HCT will work closely with the UAE Internal Audit Association, UAE IAA, to fulfill the needs of the UAE Government and the business community under the newly created HASAAD Programme, with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the parties. The MoU will set the framework for both parties to collaborate in developing and executing an intensive training programme aimed at UAE national graduates who would like to specialise in the field of Internal Audit.
The MoU was signed on the side-lines of the 4th Chief Audit Executive Conference, held in Abu Dhabi this week, which was inaugurated by Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansoori, UAE Minister of Economy, and held in the presence of Mohammad Omran Al Shamsi, Chancellor of the Higher Colleges of Technology.
The ground-breaking agreement, which is the first of many initiatives by HCT to cater for UAE nationals in various specialised fields, was signed by Mohammad Omran Al Shamsi and Abdul Qader Ali, President of the UAE IAA. The Minister witnessed the signing of the agreement.
Mohammad Omran Al Shamsi said the agreement was of vital importance to the UAE’s business sector, as well as the regional corporate community. "As the UAE’s largest higher education institution, we at the Higher Colleges of Technology are very pleased to be collaborating with the UAE IAA, which is the fastest growing chapter of the worldwide Internal Audit Association. Through this collaboration, we are providing support for young Emirati nationals who are interested in forging a career in Internal Audit." The Chancellor also participated in an informative panel discussion at the conference, which was attended by a broad cross-section of Internal Audit specialists and Chief Audit Executives from the MENA region. The panel members discussed the important roles Internal Auditors play in the corporate sector, and further plans for future developments in the IA industry.
The Chancellor said there was a real demand for Emirati IA specialists in the UAE, which will be met by the MoU signing with the UAE IAA. "It is very important for the UAE to have more and more trained auditors and to encourage more UAE nationals into the field of internal auditing. This agreement is closely aligned to the Government’s UAE Vision 2021, which states that universities will listen closely to the needs of Emiratis and their future employers. This initiative is also in keeping with the national Emiratisation directives and policies," he said.
"Speaking to businesses throughout the UAE, many have highlighted the need for more specialisations in different areas including internal auditing," he told the audience.
Al Shamsi added that there was a pressing need to have more corporate governance and auditing functions in organisations in order to follow directives from the Federal National Council for governmental institutions to operate in similar ways to businesses, such as with audit committees, boards and internal and external auditors.
"The role of internal auditors is to ensure that all involved in an organisation are aware of the need to conduct their business in the right way," he added.
The Chancellor emphasised that the HCT will continue to work closely with the Government, industry stakeholders and strategic partners, and various local associations to ensure that the HCT meets the nation’s employment needs across all sectors.
He reiterated HCT's commitment to assisting the UAE’s proactive initiatives to achieve its mission and strategic plan by developing a national, professional workforce with the skills and abilities to make important contributions to the nation.