University of London Launches Masters in Professional Accountancy in collaboration with ACCA

Lahore, 3^rd May 2016: ACCA and the University of London have joined hands to offer the first ever world-class Masters programme integrated with a prestigious professional qualification and held a launch event in Islamabad.

This ground-breaking Masters programme will be made available to ACCA students and members around the world. This marks the first time an accountancy body has joined with a university to enable students across the globe to gain a Masters’ degree and a professional accountancy qualification at the same time.

The Launch Ceremony was held in Serena Hotel Islamabad. The event was attended by the Chief Executive and Pro Vice Chancellor( International )University of London International Programmes Dr Mary Stiasny ,  Mary Bishop , Director Learning ACCA , Stuart Dunlop , ACCA Regional Director MENASA , Saad Wasim , Country Head University of London International Programmes Pakistan & Bangladesh , Sajeed Aslam , ACCA Head Pakistan , Rehan ud Din , ACCA Head of Education MENASA along with renowned Educationists including Faisal Mushtaq , Khadija Mushtaq , Walid Mushtaq , Dr Neelam Hussain,  Heads of Regulation Authorities  ,Key Employers and a large number of ACCA Members , Affiliates and  University of London Alumni.

Speaking at the ceremony, Stuart Dunlop, ACCA’s Regional Director MENASA highlighted, “We are delighted to be the first professional accountancy body to be able to deliver this type of programme, meaning ACCA now directly offers choice from a complete suite of professional and academic qualifications. ACCA has a long history of working with academic partners and is proud of the opportunities these partnerships offer to our students and members.”

Saad Wasim, Country Head for University of London, in his keynote address stated, “‘The University of London has pioneered with academic excellence for the last 150 years and has always had a tradition of innovation and it gives us great pleasure to announce that we have joined forces with such a well-respected professional association, ACCA, to now deliver this Masters programme for its students, Members and Affiliates. He highlighted the benefits of achieving the Masters in Professional Accountancy and felt it would definitely help in one’s career progression” 

Commenting on the news that an ACCA student or member will have the opportunity to undertake a reduced number of modules to achieve a Masters qualification, Dr Mary Bishop, Director Learning, ACCA said, “Through ACCA’s strong global relationships, we know that employers in many markets place a very high value on finance leaders having both a professional and a Masters qualification. We also know ACCA’s flexibility and portability are big factors for students when making their decision about which path to take, and ACCA, and the University of London have just increased that access and flexibility.”

Dr Mary Stiasny, Pro Vice-Chancellor (International) and Chief Executive of the University of London International Programmes described the partnership between the University and ACCA as beneficial to students all over the world who are pursuing the ACCA Qualification. She also said, “It offers ACCA members and the thousands of new students the option to enrich their learning journey by obtaining a Master’s degree from one of the most prestigious universities in the world.”

The design of the Master’s degree in Professional Accountancy has been customized with two pathways for both ACCA students and its Members/Affiliates wishing to grow in their careers.

Interesting Facts about First-class Travelers

We usually never hear anyone, even in the farthest of our circle that they traveled in first class of an airline. The most we can expect is a business class seat that someone booked for themselves and that too, for a super long flight. We would all agree that on short flights there is not much difference and it makes more sense to spend on longer flights for comfort.

However, how do you know that the person traveling in a first class has paid for himself? Let’s find out the different categories of people who are traveling in a first class seat.

The unexpected but true answer is that truly no one who is traveling in first class is actually paying for that fare. There are two main subgroups sitting in premium cabins on flights, people flying on negotiated fares, via a corporate or group agreement, and frequent fliers who are in those seats via mileage awards, or certificates that upgrade your seat to a higher class.

The fun part to know here is the details behind these fares. Corporate customers are usually accounted to a huge discount on the fare, ranging from 40-60%. The big companies do a travel agreement with any of the airlines and negotiate onto a discounted price. These tickets also tend to be fully changeable and refundable if needed.

Secondly, people search for any cheaper rates or deals for traveling and book in advance for a first class ticket as well, just like the case of an economy class. In exceptional cases, people would be willing to pay the full price on account to get the desirable flight. Other than that, it is quite common to see people receiving an upgrade on their seat on the spot due to their mileage coverage or other customary benefits.

Now, who are the rest of the people traveling in the highest class? Around half of the people are the ones who do not arrange for the tickets themselves. These include celebrities who were promised first class travel in their contract, senior business people whose travel expense is covered by their company, or people who are in the senior management of the same airline who enjoy employee perks.

So, after subtracting all the categories of ‘non-payers’ in first class of an airline, we are left with only 10% of travelers who actually book and pay for themselves because they can afford to. These are likely ultra-high net worth individuals and a small number of people who are doing some sort of once in a lifetime splurge on a Honeymoon or dream destination.

Mianwali- The City of Minerals

Situated in the province of Punjab, Mianwali is the capital city of the Mianwali district that was formed by clubbing Isa Khel, Piplan, Bhakkar and Layyah. With a smaller area and less size of population, the city is well urbanized with several educational institutions, sports complexes and developed highways and roads. There is a railway that connects Mianwali city with Lahore, Multan and Rawalpindi. It hosts one of the country’s major operational and training air bases as well as the No. 1 Fighter Conversion Unit of P.A.F.

If you are fond of listening to radio and tuning into FM shows, did you know that FM 93 belongs to Mianwali? Yes, the city is very advanced. It dates back to the Indus Valley Civilization and was conquered by the Mughals back then. Along with a modern society now, the city has a rich history as well. The super talented cricketer, Misbah-ul-Haq is from Mianwali.

Jovago’s Top 3

Namal Lake

Namal Lake is located in Rikhi, a village on one corner of the Namal valley in Mianwali, Punjab, Pakistan. It was formed following the construction of Namal Dam in 1913. The lake is very beautiful and attractive; it is not only famous due to its beauty, but also for the several mammals that have taken refuge under it including Russian ducks, Siberian cranes and other migratory birds.

Kalabagh

Known as ‘Garden Village’ in local language, it is a small town in the Mianwali district and lies on the banks of River Indus. It is home to the Kalabagh Dam. The place is famous for its red hills, salt ranges and scenic views of the Indus River. If you are at Mianwali, do add Kalabagh to your list of top attractions to visit.

Chashma Barrage

Chashma Barrage is a barrage on the River Indus in Mianwali District of Punjab, 304 km NW of Lahore and 56 km downstream of Jinnah Barrage. The barrage was constructed by French architects and has an elusive design. Chashma Barrage is used for irrigation, flood control and power generation.

Tips

Restaurants

Namal Inn Restaurant and filling station is a popular restaurant located near Namal Lake and serves traditional delicacies with an urban flavor. It is home to several international food chains as well. Red King Hotel & Restaurant and N’s Kitchen are other famous eateries.

Shopping

There are no shopping malls in Mianwali but the most famous market is Liaquat Bazar. Online shopping is common in the city and you can easily find anything online.

Hotels

There are some good and affordable hotels in Mianwali which offer various facilities .Royal Inn Hotel andHotel Shahzad are a few to name. You can log on to Jovago.com and find more options according to your preference.

5 Healthy Snacks to Carry While Traveling

Hitting the road this summer in Pakistan? Whether traveling by car or plane, you sure need some snacks to snuggle during your trip. It’s a universal need that you just can’t escape. Food is something that is not only a need to survive but the best source of entertainment. Don’t you sometimes feel too bored and then get rid of it with food?

Although you are provided with food/snacks on plane or train, they hardly give you anything other than the specified meals. So what do you do when you feel hungry, you take your own snacks. We have a list of items that are healthier options for you to carry. These are as filling as any other processed food. Keep reading to find the list of alternate options for you.

Mini sandwiches

The easiest snack to make on your own is a sandwich. Make it more fun by cutting it into mini bite sizes that you can pop into your mouth easily. Experiment with the types of breads and fillings, and pack it in a big or several small boxes so everyone has their own.

Granola bars

Granola bars are the healthiest option if you feel the need of a sweet snack. They are sweet and power packed with the grains that energize you while you travel. Go for the organic ones that are low on fat as well as free of chemicals.

Fruits

The best thing to rely upon while traveling is fruits. They are readily available, extremely healthy and tasty, and rich in nutrients. Though they can’t be stored for long, but that’s the idea of travel snacks, you eat them right away. Just be sure to take the ones that can survive a day long trip before rotting away.

Cookies

You might be thinking that cookies aren’t the healthiest option. Well, they can be if they are homemade. You can opt for gluten free products to make them yourself. Store bought/packaged cookies are full of preservatives and unhealthy. If you bake them yourself, you will enjoy a personal satisfaction.

Tea/Coffee

It is not the best option to carry hot tea/coffee on a plane, but you can carry your favorite flavored tea bags or coffee blends that you can mix in hot water. You can do the same for a road trip or carry a flask filled with tea/coffee. Trust me, you can’t afford to skip tea or coffee from your snack list.

Tip: Plan your snack according to your destinations and travel routes. Ideally you will be planning it when you are researching the destinations for traveling.

Other than these healthy snacks you might be interested to explore the delicious cuisine of Pakistan.

JOVAGO.COM HOLDS MEDIA MEET UP IN LAHORE

Lahore, 21st April 2016: Jovago.com , an Online Hotel Booking website in its aim to promote tourism and create awareness to book hotels online, holds a media meet up in Lahore. The Purpose of this media meet up is to support the Pakistani tourism, enhance relationship with media and bloggers community, and share insights about Jovago.com by creating awareness about the spectacular places and hotel industry around the country.

Jovago’s senior management and team met with the key media representatives to talk about Jovago’s one year journey in Pakistan, future plans, strategies and policies to promote tourism in Pakistan. Talking about this event, the Country Manager of Jovago Nadine Malik said “Jovago.com is an entity that aspires to support tourism with its constant and endless efforts. The event is intended to serve as a platform to increase networking amongst bloggers by sharing tips and insights about Jovago and its working in Pakistan that will serve the purpose gracefully.”

With many bookings from in and out of the country, Jovago is proving successful in the promotion of tourism. The event was very successful with many prominent print and online media in attendance.

About APACIG

The Asia Pacific Internet Group (www.apacig.com) is a joint venture of Rocket Internet and Ooredoo. The group’s network consists of 14  e-commerce and online marketplace companies, operating across 15 countries. Since it was founded in 2014, APACIG has become the leading online platform in Asia, building top internet companies in the region.

About Jovago

Jovago.com is an online hotel booking service with offices in Lagos (Nigeria), Nairobi (Kenya), Dakar (Senegal) founded by Africa Internet Group and has MTN and Millicom as investors. Jovago.com, Africa’s No.1 booking portal, facilitates the booking process for its users to provide them with the best hotel booking experience with fast, transparent and easy-to-use services. Jovago.com has over 20,000 local hotel listings across Africa and over 200,000 hotels around the world.

Tanzania Pakistan Trade Potential Reach USD 1 billion

Tanzania and Pakistan have recently expressed their interest in strengthening commercial ties and cooperation to tap a trade potential of USD 1 billion through investments in key sectors such as agriculture, mining and oil, and gas.

This deal is an attempt to strengthen the economic ties between the two countries. The current trade volume between Pakistan and Tanzania is USD 100 million and this initiative will help increase and expand it further. Economic growth is only possible if there is political stability as well as strong political relationships between the countries. In order to facilitate this, the two countries are in talks to support the opening of high commissions in both countries and increase bilateral trade relations.

The major industries that the two countries plan to tap in are agriculture, energy and mineral sectors. These will assist in increasing the trade volume of up to USD 1 billion per year. Since the founding of diplomatic relations between the Pakistan and Tanzania back in 1967, a strong establishment in different fields of collaboration has been initiated with the training of Tanzanian diplomats, railway technicians, bankers, and military personnel.

In 2013, the bond was further strengthened when presidents of both countries signed three key agreements on visa exemption for diplomatic and state officials, intelligence sharing and cultural and defense cooperation.The year 2016 is marked as the trade enhancement year between Pakistan and Tanzania as a business delegation from Pakistan visited Tanzania to commence B2B meetings with key local business communities and factories in an attempt to expand trade.

With an expansion in trade, stability in the economy and strong relationship between Pakistan and Tanzania, we hope that the travel and tourism industry of both countries will also benefit just like Pakistan and Malaysia are jointly promoting tourism industry. We hope and expect the best for both countries.

Why Research is Important for Traveling

Having some knowledge is better than knowing nothing at all. When traveling, research can significantly but positively impact your time. Researching prior to traveling to a certain place involves getting information regarding the place in several aspects. Getting a deep insight into the area, what places to must visit or avoid, the culture and local traditions, must try foods, the dress code and other important material to know.

This article will highlight few but important reasons why researching before making plans to travel to a place play an important part.

Understanding the cultures

It’s patently evident that cultures differ from place to place. It is interesting to know that the difference is not only amongst countries but within the same country as well. Knowing the right dress code, what languages to communicate in, what is a common practice and what is disliked by the locals are some of the things that will help you avoid being in a state of an awkward tourist.

Avoid getting scammed

No matter how safe a country is, there are always a few slayers who target tourists or any foreigner. It is always safer and better to understand this and know the ways to avoid it. For example, there are pick pockets that are so professional at their work that you might not even feel that you have been robbed. Locals tend to charge foreigners higher amounts from foreigners/tourists for something that is extremely cheap. So, how will you know about these scams and ways to get away with it, research all the way!

Finding the top tourist destinations

There are two types of tourists, one who gets themselves registered with a planned tour and relies completely on the tour guide, and second who is adventurous, relies on personal research and explores the desired destination. The tour guide will definitely take you to the top tourist attractions, but they might skip a few or might not tell you about some great places due to time constraint or other reasons. Research is what will take you to the most breathtaking spots that are must to visit. Fortunately you will find many breathtaking spots in Pakistan.

Of course, research will help you in finding good accommodations and budget hotels, best restaurantsand food, gain an understanding of the potential dangers zones, top shopping places and things to take back home, and much more than you can try to know on your own.