The Maldives National University (MNU) expanded its investment in administrative workforce development in 2024 by providing overseas training opportunities for seven staff members at the Bangkok Corporate Training Center International in Thailand. The week-long professional development programmes focused on strengthening communication, procurement, negotiation, and customer service competencies essential to effective university administration.
The initiative provided administrative personnel with opportunities to develop specialised professional skills through internationally delivered training tailored to their respective responsibilities. By facilitating exposure to different workplace practices and professional approaches, MNU sought to strengthen staff capabilities and support continuous improvement across its administrative services.
Aminath Nimala, Aneesul Rahman, and Aminath Maseeha Ahmed participated in the Communication, Interpersonal Effectiveness and Employee Relations programme. The training focused on competencies relevant to professional communication, workplace relationships, and effective collaboration. These skills are important in fostering constructive interactions between university departments and maintaining a supportive and productive working environment.
Aslam Hassan and Abdulla Rashad completed the Advanced E-Procurement, Contracts Management and Negotiation Skills programme. This specialised training supported professional development in procurement-related processes, contract administration, and negotiation practices, areas that contribute to responsible resource management, operational efficiency, and accountability within university administration.
Meanwhile, Namidha Mohamed and Azeefa Hussain attended the Customer Service Excellence programme, which focused on strengthening service-oriented competencies. Effective customer service is particularly important in higher education administration, where staff engage with students, academic personnel, external partners, and members of the public.
The overseas training initiative also highlighted the value of international exposure in broadening professional perspectives. Engagement with training delivered in an international setting can introduce staff to alternative approaches to administrative challenges and provide opportunities to consider how relevant practices may be adapted to MNU’s institutional context.
Beyond individual professional growth, the programmes were intended to support wider improvements in administrative effectiveness. Stronger communication, informed procurement practices, effective workplace relationships, and responsive customer service can contribute to smoother internal coordination and more consistent delivery of university services.
MNU’s investment in overseas professional development reflects the importance of equipping administrative personnel with the knowledge and competencies needed to respond to evolving institutional demands. By supporting specialised training opportunities, the university aims to build a skilled, adaptable, and service-focused workforce capable of contributing to long-term organisational development.
Aligned with priorities of quality education, lifelong learning, decent work, professional capacity development, responsible resource management, institutional accountability, effective public services, and international knowledge exchange, the 2024 initiative demonstrates MNU’s commitment to strengthening administrative excellence through targeted professional learning and exposure to international practices.
