Emmanuel's Story

Tell us about your experience studying with Al-Maktoum College

I studied the Professional Diploma in Islamic Banking and Finance at Al-Maktoum College between September 2018 to April 2019. During my time there, I was simultaneously enrolled in the International Oil and Gas Management Masters Programme at the University of Dundee. Prior to this, I was a relationship officer in a tier one bank in my home country.

To be honest, I chose Al-Maktoum College because of my quest and thirst for knowledge. Having been told about the College by my colleague and flatmate, I decided to carry out some research into the various courses on offer. Coming from a finance background, I opted for the Professional Diploma in Islamic Banking and Finance because I believed it would broaden my knowledge and understanding of finance and also give me an edge over core conventional finance professionals. I was privileged enough to be awarded the very prestigious and generous Academic Excellence Scholarship.

During my time at the college, I was fortunate to be elected as the Treasurer of the Student Society; a position that afforded me the opportunity to relate extensively with both staff and students. Through my position and together with other members of the Exco, I was able to interact with management on issues affecting students and take decisions that positively impacted the lives of students.

What did you enjoy most about your chosen course?

There were a lot of positives to take from studying the course at this wonderful institution however my favourite thing was that it allowed me the opportunity to acquire critical knowledge and training in Islamic economics, banking and finance. Being a finance professional, it was intriguing for me to learn about the endless possibilities provided by Islamic finance and the role it plays in the global economy. Even more interesting was the fact that various studies highlighted the resistance of Islamic finance to the impact of the 2008/2009 global financial crises.

A highlight of my time there was when I was sponsored by the college to present a paper at the Annual Management, Governance and Ethical Finance Conference which took place at the Edinburgh Napier University. My paper titled Achieving Economic Development through Islamic Economics: Policy Reform discussed the various ways in which Islamic Finance could be used to achieve development by reforming policies to conform with tenets of Islam.

How did your time at the College help to prepare you for your career?

Prior to my return to my home country, I was headhunted by a newly licensed commercial bank to take up the role of a Private Banker upon my return to the country. My studies at Alm College gave me an edge as I was deemed to have a working knowledge of both conventional and Islamic finance.

Upon assumption of my role, I have been able to offer financial advice to various customers and even educate them on the niche form of finance called Islamic Finance and the benefits it poses for society. In the nearest future, I see myself working for a multilateral development institution such as the World Bank, Islamic Development Bank, African Development Bank and others.