College of Business & Finance
Ahlia University
About Us
The College of Business and Finance is the first private university school of business in Bahrain to be accredited by AACSB – the world’s highest standard of quality in business education. The College offers programmes at the bachelor, master and doctoral levels.
Our distinctive programmes are designed to combine the latest knowledge with the requisite technical skills as demanded by the globalised business landscape of the 21st century. Our vibrant learning environment equips learners with a range of skills and competencies including enterprise skills, digital literacy skills and effective communication skills. Our graduates are trained to be responsible global citizens that are serious about sustainability.
Your future career and professional success are a core focus of our mission. We aim to empower our learners to become champions of responsible and sustainable business practices. If you aspire to become the responsible business leader of tomorrow, the College of Business and Finance can help you achieve your dream.
Our Vision
To be the college of choice in business and finance education in Bahrain and the region.
Our Mission
To foster a vibrant learning environment in business and finance education to prepare students for professional success in their career.
Our Goals
- Impact –Offer curricula and deliver programs, teaching techniques, and research that produce employable and socially responsible graduates who are committed to lifelong learning.
- Innovation – Offer innovative, relevant and up-to-date programs to meet market needs.
- Intellectuality – Make contributions to applied research by our diverse faculty and students.
- Community Engagement – Promote community engagement and foster relationships various stakeholders including strategic partners in academia, industry and build network with business practitioners as well as orchestrate entrepreneurial activities and public events of salient interest across the community.
- Faculty and Student Development – Sustain faculty and student competency by empowering them to excel in teaching, research and service.
- Sustainability – Sustain quality education and academic standards, that aligns with sustainable accreditation standards with and a focus on systematic quality reviews with peer institutions against UNSDGs and risk management frameworks
Dean's Message
Prof. Allam Hamdam
ACTING DEAN OF COLLEGE OF BUSINESS & FINANCE
Dear all, I am honored to be entrusted to serve as dean of the Business and Finance college, Ahlia University’s largest college. Established in 2003, our college will continue to play an influential role among students and faculty. With rigorous efforts and high-quality education, we aim to qualify our students to be future leaders in business and management in their communities in Bahrain and across the region. Although being a young and small university, we dream big in terms of providing the apogee of quality education to our students through our imparting competencies and life-long learning skills that will enable them to shape their future careers throughout their lifetime.
We believe this will help them become outstanding contributors not only to industry and but also to academia as well. Our faculty is a subject of our pride. Boasting diverse educational and occupational backgrounds, the faculty serves the university as an essential asset bringing to fruition international educational standards locally. In line with Ahlia University’s vision regarding scientific research, our college will continue to graduate professionals, steeped in research skills, able to best serve their community. Creating a challenge for us and our students that we are ready to tackle in order to achieve our goals, scientific research we regard as the core mission of any university. Scientific research, as a driver of innovation, contributes, to a major extent, to the sustainability of any business. In addition, scientific research informs public policies that bring positive outcomes to individuals as well as whole communities.
We believe in the integration of all branches of knowledge; accordingly, we aim to equip our students with skills derived from all functional business branches (Economics, Accounting, Finance, Management, Marketing, and MIS). Other innovative programmes of current salience are in the process of being launched to serve future market needs. To our postgraduate students, we believe you are an important asset for Business and Finance College. We put a premium on endowing you with analytical skills, research competencies and decision-making skills that will serve you throughout your professional career. Once again, I am delighted to serve as dean of the Business and Finance College of Ahlia University, where all faculty members are united in the endeavor to achieve ever higher standards of business education, professional practice and scientific research.
Accreditations & Exemptions
All of our programmes within the College of Business & Finance are designed to produce graduates that are highly knowledgeable and capable of meeting the demands of today’s increasingly competitive labour market. As such, many of our business courses and programmes are accredited by leading professional bodies and offer students exemptions from modules and papers of highly sought-after professional qualifications such as ACCA, CIMA, and CIM. This ensures that our graduates are highly employable upon entering the workforce and equipped with all of the requisite knowledge and skills that are relevant to today’s workplace.
Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) is the oldest accreditation body for business programmes in the world, with a history spanning over 100-years. AACSB is widely regarded as the gold-standard international accreditation for business schools the world over.
The College of Business and Finance received its AACSB accreditation in early 2024, which puts the college in the top 6% of best schools of business in the world. AACSB accreditation means the school has demonstrated a mission-focused commitment to excellence through maintaining the highest standards of quality in business education in the world. Accordingly, your degree will be internationally recognised and highly regarded by employers and other universities.
Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)
The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) is one of the world’s most recognized professional accountancy bodies that is dedicated towards strengthening the profession and protecting the public through increased transparency in accounting practices all over the world. Ahlia University has partnered with the ACCA in 2013 and now offers students the opportunity to gain exemptions towards numerous papers that must be completed to acquire this reputable professional qualification. With an ACCA qualification, Ahlia graduates can enter the workforce with a strategic mindset and a professional designation that is highly sought-after within the professional network of accountants all over the globe.
Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM)
The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) is the leading professional body for marketers worldwide and exists to develop the marketing profession, maintain professional standards and improve the skills of marketing practitioners. Ahlia University has joined forces with CIM to give students the opportunity to gain professional qualifications through the CIM Graduate Gateway. CIM qualifications are highly sought after by employers, and their content is reflected in our own degrees which ensures we are equipping students with the best opportunities for a successful marketing career.
Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)
The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) is the world’s leading professional body of management accountants that exists to enable organizations around the world to develop their management accounting capabilities and to promote excellence, trust, and transparency within the accountancy sector globally. Ahlia University has partnered with CIMA by giving students the opportunity to earn exemptions from several CIMA examinations, in turn paving the way for a quicker route to the coveted CIMA Professional Qualification that is recognized and highly sought-after by employers all over the world.
CFA Institute (CFA)
The CFA Institute is a global, not-for-profit professional organisation that provides investment professionals with finance education. It aims to promote the standards in ethics, education, and professional excellence in the global investment industry.
In 2021, Ahlia University successfully qualified as an affiliated university, with the Bachelor Degree in Banking and Finance being recognised as an affiliate programme. This means that our curriculum is closely tied to the practice of investment management which is helpful to students preparing for the CFA® Program exams.
Our Programmes
Undergraduate Programmes
Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting & Finance (BSAF)
Bachelor’s Degree in Banking & Finance (BSBF)
Bachelor’s Degree in Economics & Finance (BSEF)
Bachelor’s Degree in Management & Marketing (BSMM)
Bachelor’s Degree in Management Information Systems (BSMIS)
Postgraduate Programmes
Master of Science in Forensic Accounting (MSFA)
Master of Science in Sustainable Management (MSSM)
Master’s of Science in Financial Technology – FinTech (MSFT)
Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA)
Collaborative Programmes
PhD in Management – Hosted from Brunel University London
The George Washington University Master of Science Degree in Engineering Management
Faculty & Staff
Prof. Allam M.M. Hamdan
Prof. Abdalmuttaleb M.A.Musleh Al-Sartawi
Prof. Yusuf Abdullatif Nasralla Albastaki
Prof. Mukhtar Sayed Ali Mohamed Kadhem Alhashimi
Prof. Jasim Yusuf Ali Abdulla Al Ajmi
Prof. Adel Mohammed Yaslam Sarea
Prof. Muneer Mohamed Al Mubarak
Dr. Esra Saleh Al Dhaen
Dr. Rami Mohammad Eshtawi Abu Wadi
Dr. Ammar Abdulla Yusuf Al Hawaj
Dr. Ahlam Ali Mohamed Hassan
Dr. Ahmed Abdulhusain Ali Abdulhusain Alhayky
Dr. Lamea Merza Taher Husain Al Tahoo
Dr. Noor Al Sayed
Dr. Zakeya Redha Sanad
Dr. Hooria Ali Hafedh
Dr. Maryam Abdulla Al Thawadi
Dr. Fatema Saleh Fares Abdulla Al Dhaen
Dr. Karima Jaafar Mohamed Shaikh Almusali
Dr. Fatema Ebrahim Salem Sulaiman Al Rawahi
Dr. Maria Akbar Husain Hajeeh Saberi
Dr. Zainab Jaafar Al Hayki
Mr. Hamad Abdulla Hamad Al Moajil
Ms. Reem Sayed Mansour
Ms. Ebtisam Ahmed Jasim Mohamed Ali
Ms. Huda Mohamed Naser
Mr. Ali Husain Ahmed Mulla
Ms. Elham Hasan Ebrahim Hasan Ahmed
Mr. Salah Ahmed Khalifa Mohamed
Ms. Bibi Abdulla Al Mahdi
Ms. Hessa Saleh AlDhaen
Ms. Amina Khalil Howaishi
Mr. Mahmood Ali Ebrahim Ali Alobaidat
College Events
The Events include among other activities:
- Workshops
- Conferences
- Forums
- Panel debates
Basic First Aid Training
- 27/11/2023
- 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
Diabetes Awareness Day 2023
- 14/11/2023
- 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
The College of Business & Finance Induction Day (2023)
- 25/10/2023
- 12:00 PM
CBF Stakeholder Engagement Research and Societal impact
- 23/10/2023
- 5:30 - 6:30
The Role of HRM in Building Culture in the Workplace
- 12/07/2023
- 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Tamkeen “As a Major Ecosystem Component for Bahraini Entrepreneurs”
- 09/07/2023
- 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Conferences
The College of Business and Finance has been at the forefront of organizing a series of impactful international conferences that serve as platforms for stimulating discussions on pressing issues in the realms of business, finance, technology, equal opportunities, and the economy. These conferences have garnered significant attention over the years, drawing in researchers from diverse countries across the globe. The outcomes of these fruitful gatherings have been published in conference proceedings and special issues of renowned journals, ensuring the dissemination of valuable scientific papers. In addition to the esteemed researchers, these conferences have also attracted an elite group of speakers who have graced the events with their profound knowledge and extensive experience in the industry. The presence of these distinguished speakers has further enriched the discussions, offering unique insights and perspectives to the participants. The College of Business and Finance continues to make substantial contributions to the advancement of knowledge and the promotion of dialogue in these vital fields through its commendable organization of these international conferences.
Societal Impact
Student Publication contributing to Bahraini Women Empowerment in Business Sector – SDG5
As part of CBF Goal 4 “Community Engagement – Promote community engagement and foster relationships various stakeholders including strategic partners in academia, industry and build network with business practitioners as well as orchestrate entrepreneurial activities and public events of salient interest across the community” pertaining to entrepreneurship, a student produced a research study titled Empowerment Sustainability Perspectives for Bahraini Women as Entrepreneurs. The paper demonstrates the factors to be considered by policy makers towards sustainability of women entrepreneurs. The paper was also aligned with UNSDGs as part of CBF teaching and learning philosophy. see the link.
Faculty Research recognized for the campaign of “Fena Khair” – SDG related 1
Specific research papers suggested actions at policy making level, for instance a paper was published by a faculty member titled “Guide to giving during the COVID-19 pandemic: the moderating role of religious belief on donor attitude” the paper proposed the idea of donation towards supporting the citizen’s and business owners impacted by COVID-19 crisis. The paper was endorsed by Royal Humanitarian Foundation at the Kingdom of Bahrain and based on the suggestion an campaign at national level “Fena Khair” was conducted for collection of donation. See the link.
CBF launched do not bin it donate it campaign by signing agreement with Bahraini Association for Parents and Friends of the Disabled – SDG10
College of Business and Finance signed a memorandum of understanding with the Bahraini Association for Parents and Friends of the Disabled, with the aim of achieving fruitful cooperation between them on the basis of mutual benefit and common interests, in accordance with the laws and regulations in the Kingdom of Bahrain. This agreement comes within the framework of both parties’ desire to activate the role of cooperation between them, and bilateral cooperation in the field of supporting students with disabilities, that is through exchanging invitations to participate and attend events held by the two parties, and the university provided support for the activities of the Bahraini Association for Parents of the Disabled and their friends by collecting plastic materials in all University facilities and presenting them to the association for recycling in order to contribute to the purchase of the largest possible number of wheelchairs for specific cases of people with disabilities, in addition to organizing joint activities aimed at enhancing the opportunities of enabling students with disabilities from completing their university education.
Sharing Academic Practices - Signing Agreement with Bahrain Polytechnic – SDG4
College of Business and Finance signed an agreement with Bahrain Polytechnic, the agreement aims to collaborate on academic practices including conducting benchmarking and sharing expertise for external moderation. The agreement was successfully activated in relation.
World Health Organization (WHO) COVID-19 Research Database is a resource created in response to the Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) – SDG3
The World Health Organization (WHO) Covid-19 Research Database is a resource created in response to the Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). Its content remains searchable and spans the time period March 2020 to June 2023. Since June 2023, manual updates to the database have been discontinued therefore the link was deactivated from WHO. However, the following are examples of the papers recognized:
- Kosack, E., Stone, M., Sanders, K., Aravopoulou, E., Biron, D., Brodsky, S., ... & Usacheva, A. (2021). Information management in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Bottom Line, 34(1), 20-44.
- Hashem, M., Gallear, D., & Aldhaen, E. (2022, March). Enhancing the Creativity of Employees in the Education Sector During COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Rewards. In International Conference on Business and Technology(pp. 339-348). Cham: Springer International Publishing.
- Bin-Nashwan, Saeed Awadh, Sarea, Adel, Al-Daihani, Meshari, Ado, Abdullahi Bala, Begum, Halima, Alosaimi, Mushari Hamdan, Abdul-Jabbar, Hijattulah, Abdelsalam, Mohammed Khalifa. - Fundraising Appeals for the COVID-19 Epidemic Fight: A Cross-Country Study of Donor Responses - Sustainability; 14(11):6486, 2022.
- Taufiq-Hail, Ghilan Al-Madhagy; Sarea, Adel; Hawaldar, Iqbal Thonse. - The Impact of Self-Efficacy on Feelings and Task Performance of Academic and Teaching Staff in Bahrain during COVID-19: Analysis by SEM and ANN - Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity; 7(4):224-224, 2021.
- Sabri, Boubaker, Sarea, Adel, Choudhury, Tonmoy. - Guest editorial: Implications of the Russia–Ukraine conflict on the global financial markets - The Journal of Risk Finance; 24(1):1-5, 2023.
- Taufiq-Hail, Ghilan Al-Madhagy, Sarea, Adel, Hawaldar, Iqbal Thonse. - The Impact of Self-Efficacy on Feelings and Task Performance of Academic and Teaching Staff in Bahrain during COVID-19: Analysis by SEM and ANN - Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity; 7(4):224, 2021.
Intellectual Contribution
Journal of Business and Socio-economic Development
The Journal of Business and Socio-economic Development (JBSED), published by the College of Business and Finance at Ahlia University, is widely regarded as the jewel of the college’s intellectual contribution. Established in 2020, with its first issue released in 2021 through Emerald publishing house, this esteemed journal has rapidly gained popularity and acceptance within the academic community.
One of the standouts features of the Journal of Business and Socio-economic Development is its significant contribution to the United Nations’ goals for sustainable development. From its title to the research it publishes, the journal directly supports these goals, including sustainable development, equal opportunities, economic growth, and business sustainability. The college takes great pride in the journal’s potential to become a beacon of science and knowledge not only in the region but also worldwide.
A key aspect that sets this journal apart is its commitment to open access. By making the journal freely available to all researchers, the Ahlia University demonstrates its dedication to social responsibility, ensuring that knowledge sources are accessible to everyone.
Journal Special Issues
The CBF faculty members are actively engaged in advancing knowledge and addressing crucial issues that impact the economy and society. They demonstrate their commitment by editing special issues in peer-reviewed scientific journals, providing a reputable and esteemed platform for researchers worldwide to contribute to these topics. Through their involvement in the editorial of these special issues, the faculty members have gained extensive experience in scientific editing, further enhancing their ability to make intellectual contributions to the scientific and academic community. This collaborative effort not only facilitates the dissemination of cutting-edge research but also fosters an inclusive and global dialogue among scholars from diverse countries and backgrounds. By shedding light on modern and important topics, the faculty members at the College of Business and Finance are actively contributing to the advancement of knowledge and its practical application in the real world.
Editing Books
CBF Members actively contribute to the editing of scientific books indexed in Scopus. These books, published by international houses (e.g. Springer, Emerald, Taylor & Francis) provide valuable intellectual resources for graduate students and researchers across and beyond the college. By addressing emerging topics and their applications in Bahrain, the Gulf region, and the wider international community, these publications bolster the college’s standing within the scientific community. The edited books cover a business with inter-disciplinary areas such as digitalization, sustainable finance, artificial intelligence. Through their involvement in editing these books, the college members promote knowledge dissemination, foster collaboration, and further establish the college’s reputation as a hub of expertise in business and finance.
