The Partners

Taqaddam is sponsored and produced by the British Council and HSBC Middle East.

The British Council holds direct relationships with Ministries and education providers in the countries where they are situated. The British Council forged the partnership with HSBC, our funder, to create Taqaddam.

Melanie Relton, Director of Skills and Education in the MENA region says: ‘Taqaddam aligns to the core of the British Council’s cultural relations vision of creating positive life outcomes for individuals, particularly young people, by giving them the skills for work and life. It makes economic and social sense for us to invest in Taqaddam, as social and economic changes can only be achieved through investment and expanding opportunities for young people.’

Your British Council Country Team will liaise and support you through Taqaddam. You will meet members of the team at the teacher briefing, the teacher training and the workshops. British Council Country Teams may also visit your school to support you with your Taqaddam classes.

HSBC Middle East

HSBC is Taqaddam’s funding partner. Its commitment to helping young people reach their potential has led to a wide range of community investment programmes.

Sabrin Rahman, head of corporate sustainability for the MENA region at HSBC, said: “We helped devise the Taqaddam concept as we felt there was a disconnect between what skills were on offer in the marketplace and what employers were looking for. Traditional educational systems, especially public schooling, just do not focus on the softer and more transferable skills that are needed for the workplace of the future.”

Volunteers from HSBC take a hands-on approach to Taqaddam. They attend the workshops and the Make It Happen! event, support the running of the programme, present short talks about using life skills in the workplace, and give advice and guidance to students.