Doha, Qatar - October 7, 2012: HEC Paris in Qatar - the region's leading hub for Executive Education, offering a complete portfolio of management programs including the first ever international Executive MBA (EMBA) in Qatar - has announced the launch of a brand new program for 2013: the Specialized Master Degree in Strategic Business Unit Management.

The new class will start in March 2013 and will consist of young, dynamic and high-potential professionals. The objectives of the program are fourfold: to create effective leaders of business units; to develop management acumen; to enhance leadership and people management skills, and to foster a genuinely entrepreneurial approach to management.

This degree is aimed at professionals with a minimum age of 25, a four-year University Degree (or equivalent) from a recognised seat of learning, and at least three years work experience. Typically, the participant will be a manager responsible for a business unit or profit center, or one who is likely to occupy this role in the near future. The new program will be followed on a part-time basis over 18 months and takes the form of 14 three-day modules representing a total of approximately 370 hours of teaching.

This part-time program is divided into two components, core curriculum and professional thesis. The core curriculum is designed as a practical foundation for managing a business unit and gives participants the opportunity to learn international best practice and focus on key areas relevant to their personal and professional development. It is made up of the 14 modules, which include areas of specialist study such as 'Understanding the Business Environment', 'Developing the Leader', 'Marketing Strategy' and 'Negotiating for Success'.

The second component of the program comprises a professional thesis, where each participant will submit a master thesis, under the supervision of a faculty member, on a topic relevant to their company or their career progression.

The Chief Operating Officer of HEC Paris in Qatar, Joshua Kobb, commented, "Managers who are capable of innovating, detecting new opportunities and implementing increasingly high-performance processes are a source of vital competitive advantage.

"HEC Paris in Qatar's new Specialized Master Degree in Strategic Business Unit Management is designed to identify and develop these management skills among participants.

"The business world is constantly evolving, and HEC Paris in Qatar is evolving with it, by providing new opportunities for the region's new generation to take advantage of our cutting-edge Executive Education programs. The new Specialized Master Degree is the latest edition to our portfolio, and we have already seen a high level of interest from companies and individuals who recognize the added value of this degree for managers. We are pleased to add this exciting program to our portfolio, which is strongly supporting our contribution to the Qatar National Vision" added Mr Kobb.

According to the influential UK-based Financial Times media group, HEC Paris has been ranked as the number one business school in Europe every year since 2006, and number two in the world for Executive Education in 2012.

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Media inquiries:
Elise Zwein
Country Manager, Action Qatar
Tel: 00974 44361499
Email: elise.z@actionprgroup.com

HEC Paris in Qatar
HEC Paris joined Qatar Foundation in June 2010, bringing world-class Executive Education programs and research activity to Doha and the region. Qatar's first international EMBA was launched by HEC Paris in Qatar in February 2011. The HEC Executive MBA (EMBA) is a part-time program which provides executives with a set of fundamental skills to expand their knowledge and leadership capabilities. The course is taught in English, and is offered in five different locations, including Doha. In addition to the EMBA, HEC Paris in Qatar provides a Specialized Master Degree in Strategic Business Unit Management. The institution also offers non-degree management programs for executives, in the form of open enrolment programs as well as custom-designed programs for individual companies. HEC Paris in Qatar's programs and research activities build corporate competitiveness within the global economy and are fully aligned with Qatar National Vision 2030 to support the transformation of Qatar into an advanced, competitive and knowledge-based economy. HEC Paris has been ranked as #1 business school in Europe since 2006 and #2 worldwide for Executive Education by the Financial Times in 2012. http://www.exed.hec.edu/locations/qatar

HEC Paris
A leader in Europe, HEC Paris specializes in management education and research. HEC Paris offers a full, unique range of courses to the leaders of tomorrow: Masters Degrees, MBA, PhD, Executive MBA and Trium Global Executive MBA. Founded in 1881, HEC Paris has a permanent faculty of 109 professors, 4000 students on its campus (40% of whom are foreign) and over 8500 managers and executives trained in executive education programs each year. HEC Paris has been ranked as #1 business school in Europe since 2006 and #2 worldwide for Executive Education by the Financial Times. http://www.hec.edu/, http://www.exed.hec.edu/

Qatar FoundationFounded in 1995 by decree of His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, Emir of Qatar, Qatar Foundation is a non-profit organization focusing on education, scientific research and community development. Under Qatar Foundation's umbrella are Education City which comprises elite universities, academic and training programs and Qatar Science and Technology Park which boasts more than 26 world-class companies involved in scientific research and development. Chaired by Her Highness Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned, Qatar Foundation also aims to enhance lives through community development initiatives including Doha Debates, Reach out To Asia and Al Jazeera Children's Channel.

  Joint venture partnerships in the areas of design, ICT, telecommunications, policy studies and event management contribute to fulfilling the objectives of the Qatar Foundation. http://www.qf.org.qa/ 

© Press Release 2012