UC exports customs to the world

29 August: In a historic first, the University of Canberra’s Centre for Customs and Excise Studies (CCES), has signed an agreement with a Kuwait/Saudi company to deliver comprehensive training for Customs and border agency officers in the Middle East and North Africa.

The agreement enables CCES courses to be available in 20 Arabic speaking countries in the Middle East and North Africa, delivered in Arabic through trainers and teachers that have been taught by staff from CCES.

Chief Executive Officer of CCES, Professor David Widdowson said, “The Centre is the first of its kind in the world. Since our inception in 2003 our primary aim has been to raise the academic standing of the customs profession. Another important objective of the Centre is to assist countries with their efforts to reform and modernise their customs administrations in order to meet the challenges of today’s global economy.

“We are now recognised by the World Customs Organization as international leaders in the field of customs education, and we have been working closely with them to establish international educational standards for the customs profession. Those standards have now been agreed, and I am pleased to advise that all our postgraduate programs carry the official endorsement of the World Customs Organization.”

Embassy of Kuwait representative, Mutlaq Al Rhashid welcomed the announcement of the new campus and believes it will assist in bringing Australia and the Middle East closer together both culturally and professionally.

“I am really excited by this development. Kuwait is considered a gateway to the Middle East, and this arrangement highlights the importance of having well trained customs officers and border guards capable of border management.
 
“I see many benefits for both countries and I have seen already the excellence of the programs the Centre for Customs and Excise Studies delivers,” he said.

The Kuwaiti campus will deliver all graduate and vocational programs in Arabic. The Centre for Customs and Excise Studies has already delivered programs to over fifty customs trainers who have been accredited to deliver programs throughout the Arabic speaking world.

“This is indeed a very exciting time for us, and we look forward to establishing a long and productive relationship with the customs professionals in the Middle East, and with their representatives in Australia,” Professor Widdowson said.

The establishment of the Centre for Customs and Excise Studies, Middle East and North Africa is expected to fill a gap that has long existed in respect to customs and border management training in the Arabic-speaking world.