LEADERS IN LEARNING
CAMBRIDGE-STRATEGIES.ORG MYWESTFORD.COM EXEEDTRAINING.COM ASIA
“WE HAVE MOVED AWAY FROM LECTURING TOWARDS PARTICIPATIVE LEARNING. THAT’S ABOUT APPLICATION RATHER THAN PURELY THE ACQUISITION OF KNOWLEDGE”
WESTFORD SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT
TO EXCEL AS A student, you need dedication, patience and hard work. To shine as an educational institution demands vision and determination. “Being ahead of the game makes us a pioneer,” says Dr Steyn Heckroodt, Dean of MBA programmes and a Corporate Training Specialist at Westford School of Management. “We lead through our innovative use of technology. This results in a global reach and enables our students to acquire international standards of education through blended facilitation techniques.” Westford’s CEO Firoz Thairinil agrees. “At Westford we live through
change, be it changes in pedagogy or syllabus. We do this so that our graduates have an edge in a competitive and dynamic business world. I believe this will help us to achieve our aim of being an innovative leading management school.” It’s been that way since Westford School of Management was established in 2009 in the UAE, delivering advanced degree and certified qualifications —including a UK-based MBA. “Our strategic focus is to build our on-site and online student experience,” says Dr Heckroodt, “whilst simultaneously taking our education global.”
SUCCEEDING WITH EXEED Today, Westford has a second string to its bow. Its corporate education arm, Exeed, provides customised, in-company executive education. “That’s been very successful in a very short space of time,” says Dr Heckroodt. Professional programmes are customised for each client, starting with a “gap analysis” to identify the needs of the organisation, but aligned to its strategy. Internal business leaders are utilised to help shape and deliver the courses, with the CEO and senior managers often contributing to training. “That helps us sketch the context and specific environment,” says Dr Heckroodt. “It runs alongside our own world-class expertise, which draws on the latest research, methodologies and customised training strategies.” Importantly, Exeed also measures learning. “We have interventions during our programmes to determine whether the learning that participants are
exposed to during the contact sessions are applied back in the workplace,” says Dr Heckroodt. “That enables us to adapt and refocus to ensure companies see a tangible return.” Among Exeed’s happy customers is Mariam Al Hejeri, Head of Cost Control and Coordination at the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company. “We found the workshops very informative,” she notes, “delivered through rich content, experiences, group discussions and role-playing scenarios.”
A PROGRESSIVE EDUCATION The school’s digitally equipped learning partners span the world, with branches in Qatar, Oman, Lebanon, the UAE, India and South Africa. Its partner-learning centres boast state-of-the-art classroom facilities, while courses are accredited by UK universities, including Cardiff Metropolitan and Wolverhampton. “Those partnerships help us stand out,” says Dr Heckroodt, “and offer local students world-renowned international qualifications.” As for teaching style, Westford’s approach is typically progressive.
“We’ve moved away from lecturing towards participative learning,” says Dr Heckroodt. “That’s about application rather than purely the acquisition of knowledge.” UAE-based MBA students, for example, can take a study tour to Westford’s India campus, engaging with industry leaders who guest lecture on a regular basis. “We’re flipping the class,” says Dr Heckroodt, “getting students to present and lecturers to give input, rather than having the lecturer at the front always.” Student Mohamed Ali enjoyed this approach. “Westford offers students an opportunity to develop their leadership and management skills through an interactive, team-based approach,” he says. With its innovative approach, and by offering both top-quality academic
programmes and tailored corporate education, Westford and Exeed are expanding their reputations and international reach. “The two parts of the business complement each other well,” says Dr Heckroodt, “but they’re very different.” It’s an unconventional format—but, with an institution that prides itself on breaking new ground, it pays to expect the unexpected.
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