Launch First-of-its-kind E-Learning Platform for Financial Education in MENA Region
As a step towards enhancing its value proposition to its customers and offer a holistic e-learning experience, the Emirates Institute for Banking and Financial Studies (EIBFS), a regional leader in banking and finance education and training, has launched Insight, the first-ever specialized online learning platform to facilitate best-in-class financial education outside the physical classroom.
The Insight platform has been completely curated in-house by EIBFS to upskill the UAE and GCC nationals in the banking and finance field through a blended format of interactive learning programs. Banking and finance professionals currently have free access to the platform, which offers nearly 100 courses as on date.
Amidst the ongoing pandemic and the challenges it has posed to the education sector – particularly those planning to upskill themselves in professional banking and finance courses, EIBFS first pioneered the online education in the banking industry through the relevant distance learning programs and now has taken a step further to create the Insight platform.
With its roster of over 100 value-added courses which includes full-fledged programs to focused learning series short-term programs and designed to impart basic to advanced sills to banking and finance professionals, EIBFS seeks to ensure uninterrupted learning through Insight. The courses come in various modules with bite-sized videos to make educational consumption easy and light.
Speaking about Insight, Jamal Al Jassmi, General Manager of EIBFS, said: “In the current exceptional times, change is inevitable, and we need to be prepared. As the region’s premium banking and finance institute, EIBFS is keen to cater to the needs of its trainees and ensure they enjoy a seamless experience to the extent possible.
“In early March, we started offering online courses. However, we soon transitioned to building a fully independent, best-in-class platform that would offer over 100 interactive courses to bankers. Our initial readiness allowed our teams to go further in achieving an interactive classroom format even online. With Insight, our focus remains to provide best-in-class education to the region’s banking and finance professionals under all circumstances.”
The courses on the Insight platform span functional skills and soft skills development across the broader categories of fintech, data analytics, corporate banking and management, trade finance, compliance and anti-money laundering, risk management, Islamic banking and business communication, as well as treasury and investments and personal development.
The focus on self-management, leadership training and personal development indicate the growing criticality of these skills in the region’s maturing banking industry. Furthermore, with COVID-19 dramatically altering the industry and the job skills needed, these programs will prove vital to banking professionals seeking to reskill to stay relevant.
The course content is designed to offer students convenience and flexibility and is customized to address their requirements. The region has seen a paradigm shift in its approach to education, emerging from the need for greater flexibility during COVID-19 to accommodate the changing work structures and schedules of individuals that work and study at the same time.
The EIBFS team has designed the platform to maximize self-paced learning thereby providing trainees time to complete each course. Learners will also receive e-certificates upon completion of each course.
EIBFS has worked relentlessly to put together an integrated plan to ensure a smooth transition from classroom learning to the virtual format. Among key readiness measures now in place, all the Institute’s devices and databases can be accessed from any place the trainees choose.
Jamal Al Jassmi added: “Among our unique offerings on the platform is a set of soft skill programs that are geared to help the trainees build their interpersonal skills, relationship skills, and management and leadership skills. With the changing requirements of our industry today, we aim to ensure a holistic learning experience that will empower our students to face the new reality as digitally agile and future focused professionals.”
EIBFS aims to have over 150 cou gence (AI) capabilities to initiate advanced, adaptive learning which will customize each user’s experience and offer progress insights.
