PWC'S ACADEMY received the "Excellence in training and development of finance professionals" award recently at the prestigious awards ceremony, the Middle East Accountancy and Finance Excellence Awards event in Dubai. Held under the aegis of Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, the awards are organized by the leading accounting body, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales (ICAEW) to recognize the region's most qualified leaders in the accountancy and finance industry. PwC Partner Amanda Line, said: "It's wonderful to be recognized for the work we are doing to help grow talent in the Middle East through our training programs. Qualifications, technical knowledge and behavioural skills are critical to every individuals' professional development, the success of their organizations and the economies to which they belong." The award recognizes PwC's commitment to continuous professional development of financial and business professionals across the region. PwC's Academy, the educational business of PwC upholds this commitment by providing a unique combination of developing technical knowledge alongside behavioural competencies through a diverse range of professional qualifications and professional development courses. They also help the region grow and retain their national talent through the Accounting Skills Certificate (ASC), developed in partnership with ICAEW. Operating out of seven countries in the region, PwC's Academy is known for enhancing the learning experience through its global network of expert trainers, state of the art classroom and premises, and innovative teaching methodologies. Commenting on the occasion, Hani Ashkar, PwC Middle East senior partner, said: "The importance of high-quality training and certification courses in this region cannot be understated. As markets continue to develop and grow, we need to further enhance our talent and skills across all organizations in the region's private and public sector. We are proud to play an important role in this vital matter that is a priority on national agendas." PwC's Academy is the educational business of PwC. Its goal is to help improve the knowledge, skills, competence and expertise of people in finance and business; to help organizations across the region grow and retain their talent. The foundation is a team of expert professionals who convey their wealth of knowledge and the practical experience they have gained within leading organiszations around the world. PwC's Academy is committed to supporting the sustainable growth of local talent across the region. PwC's Academy in the Middle East is part of a growing network of academies present in over 30 countries worldwide. It offers a variety of training courses, based on the best practices of PwC Global and the individual experiences of our experts. — SG
