Qatar University Accounting Program Earns Endorsement by IMA (Institute of Management Accountants)

Qatar University is proud to announce that the school's accounting program has earned endorsement by IMA® (Institute of Management Accountants), one of the largest and most respected associations focused exclusively on advancing the management accounting profession.

IMA's Endorsement of Higher Education initiative recognizes programs that meet high educational standards, preparing students to enter into the profession of management accounting. Information about the program is available at http://www.imanet.org/educators.

“Endorsement by IMA is a symbol showing that our college equips Qatari and non-Qatari students with the necessary professional skills for the job market and career progression in business,” said Dr. Khalid Shams Al-Abdulqader, Dean of the College of Business & Economics, Qatar University. “Our programs provide high-quality academic and applied education that is relevant to Qatar and GCC in alignment with our vision to be regionally and internationally recognized.”

To qualify for endorsement by IMA, schools must meet the following criteria: (1) the program must substantially cover the CMA exam content; (2) the program must have adequate faculty resources to deliver this content; (3) the program must be accredited by a recognized accreditation organization (e.g., AACSB, ACBSP, EQUIS, etc.); and (4) a faculty member must be designated as an IMA Campus Advocate. The program offers two tiers of endorsement: full endorsement, for those university programs that meet all endorsement criteria; and provisional endorsement, for programs with some minor to moderate shortcomings in meeting all the criteria for full endorsement.

"IMA is pleased to welcome Qatar University to the growing list of schools that support the CMA exam program and have achieved a consistent standard of excellence," said Dr. Raef Lawson, CMA, CPA, CFP, CFA, IMA vice president of research and professor-in-residence. "High-quality, up-to-date educational programs that support the current needs of businesses will help future professional management accountants accomplish their career objectives and meet the competency expectations of employers."

IMA's globally-recognized CMA program is a relevant assessment of advanced accounting and financial management knowledge in four areas: 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.