IMA® (Institute of Management Accountants), one of the largest and most respected associations focused exclusively on advancing the management accounting profession, is proud to announce that seven new colleges and universities across the three countries of the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and the United States of America have earned the distinction of the IMA Higher Education Endorsement. These schools have been recognized for their support of students and preparing them for successful careers in management accounting along with helping them pursue and earn the coveted IMA® (Certified Management Accountant) certification.
Since February 2021, the following schools have earned the distinction from three countries:
- Al Ain University (Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates)
- The British University in Egypt (Cairo, Egypt)
- Drexel University (Philadelphia)
- Florida A&M University (Tallahassee, Fla.)
- University of the District of Columbia (Washington, D.C.)
- Northern Arizona University (Flagstaff, Ariz.)
- Lipscomb University (Nashville, Tenn.)
IMA’s Higher Education Endorsement Program is a profession acknowledged stamp of excellence. It signifies that the accounting program provides the rigorous curriculum needed for students to prepare for the CMA exam and enables successful careers in management accounting. To date, more than 100 colleges and universities—institutions in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Oceania— have been endorsed under the IMA program.
“High-quality educational programs like those at the recently endorsed Al Ain University in Abu Dhabi and The British University in Cairo will go a long way in enabling future management accountants in these regions achieve their career goals and meet the competency expectations of global employers,” said Loreal Jiles, IMA vice president, research and thought leadership. “We continue to encourage qualified programs to apply for IMA endorsement and earn this distinctive recognition.”
Al Ain University, a longtime IMA partner that earned the distinction of the 100th endorsed university in August 2021, it is also one of the longest standing universities in the UAE, notable for its dedication to empowering Emirati female students. Its programs are underpinned by high quality academic provisions now recognized by this IMA endorsement.
“Endorsement by IMA is a great achievement and a testament to the quality of our curriculum that is helping our undergraduate accounting students to better prepare for a rewarding career in management accounting,” said Professor Ghaleb El Refae (AAU President), “IMA’s globally-recognized CMA program is a relevant assessment of advanced accounting and financial management knowledge in areas such as financial planning, analysis, control and decision support – each of which is increasingly critical in meeting the changing needs of business, and therefore, essential learning for students of accounting and finance. This will benefit both the future careers of our students and the organizations where they will work in the future.”
IMA’s Endorsement of Higher Education initiative recognizes programs that meet high educational standards, enabling students to pursue and earn the CMA. Information about the program is available at https://www.imanet.org/endorsement.
