Tuesday, 12 June, 2007

University of Wollongong in Dubai (UOWD) and Lloyds Register Quality Assurance (LRQA) are collaborating to provide training opportunities in quality standards (ISO9001:2000) to postgraduate students studying the Master of Quality Management (MQM) degree at UOWD. The training will enable students to achieve certification as Lead Auditors of the ISO9001:2000 standards.From left: Dr. Cedwyn Fernandes, Chair of College of Graduate Studies, UOWD; Mr. Basem Obaid, Regional Director of Lloyds Register; Dr. Alaa Garad, Assistant Professor in Quality Management, UOWD.Dr. Cedwyn Fernandes, Chair of the College of Graduate Studies at UOWD, noted, "This is a significant milestone for UOWD and will contribute to enhancing our students practical skills, enabling them to apply the theoretical knowledge in the MQM program. Presently there are over 300 students in the MQM program and this certification will enable them to drive quality improvements in their organizations.Commenting of the importance of Quality Management Systems, Mr. Basem Obaid, Regional Director of Lloyds Register Quality Assurance(LRQA), said that visionary leadership of the UAE promotes innovation and excellence as drivers to economic development. Initiatives like the Shaikh Khalifa Awards and the Dubai Quality Awards illustrate the nation's commitment to become the centre of business excellence in the region. "This has made the study of Quality Management principles a rewarding field for professionals in both public and private sectors. We are proud of this cooperation with the University of Wollongong in Dubai (UOWD) which will integrate the strengths of both organizations in order to further develop the ability of the MQM graduates to manage quality initiatives in various industry sectors."Dr. Alaa Garad, Assistant Professor in Quality Management added, "The Agreement with Lloyds will allow students to receive hands-on training from Lloyds quality experts in order to learn how to assess organizational processes and evaluate quality standards as Lead Auditors."