The American University of Ras Al Khaimah (AURAK) President, Professor Hassan Hamdan Alalkim, and the General Secretary of the Accountants and Auditor's Association (AAA) in United Arab Emirates, Salim Saeed Naser Al-Esaei, entered into a memorandum of understanding during a signing ceremony. In the memorandum the institutions agreed to collaborate in providing professional accounting courses and financial management, collaborate on organizing multiple events such as workshops and conferences in accounting and financial management, and allowing the two parties to use the training classes of both parties in the various activities. AURAK is an independent, public, state-owned, non-profit, coeducational institution of higher learning that offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in comprehensive academic programs based on the North American model and the cultural characteristics of the Gulf region. Its undergraduate programs combine a strong grounding in the major subject with a broad general education, and its graduate programs prepare students for the demands of professional life. The institution is committed to the highest standards of teaching, research, ethics, and service to the community, preparing its graduates to be knowledgeable, thoughtful, creative, and responsible individuals, and it is accredited through the UAE's Ministry of Education (MOE) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). The AAA is the nonprofit national accountancy body of the United Arab Emirates dedicated to developing the accountancy and finance profession in the country. The Association was established in 1997 through a federal mandate with the key objective of building the capacity of the national accountancy and finance profession in line with best global practices and standards. Professor Hassan is elated about the partnership with the AAA, saying "The agreement with the Accountants and Auditor's Association will facilitate a growth in UAE accountant population contributed by AURAK in that we have 180 prospective candidates that will benefit from this program, thus bolstering the nation's professional stability in the global job market of the discipline." — SG
