Karim MAATAOUI
MBA, CIPD, SHRM-CP
Head of Human Resources
"Empowering your journey to knowledge, one step at a time."
Human Resources
Learning & Development
Higher Education
about me
My name is Karim Maataoui, and I am the Director of Human Resources at the American University in the Emirates. With over 20 years of professional experience in Human Resources, Learning & Development, Higher Education, Talent Management, and Customer Services, I have a demonstrated ability to drive impactful results.
I hold a Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA) from the American University in the Emirates, Dubai, and a Human Resources Diploma from the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development (CIPD). Additionally, I am a certified HR professional through the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).
I possess a strong affinity for all aspects of Human Resources practices, including recruitment, employee engagement, performance management, conflict resolution, change management, and organizational effectiveness. I am highly motivated to get involved and drive continuous improvement within my organization to help achieve our strategic goals.
EXPERIENCE
EDUCATION
Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development
CIPD Human Resources diploma
February 2015
London, UK
My Passion
Doctorate in Business Administration
in Higher Education Management
The Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) in Higher Education Management at the University of Bath is designed for senior academic and professional leaders aiming to enhance their expertise in managing higher education institutions. This part-time, research-based program focuses on addressing real-world challenges in the higher education sector. It combines advanced business and management theory with practical applications specific to universities, enabling participants to develop leadership strategies that drive innovation, improve organizational performance, and navigate the complexities of higher education. The program fosters critical thinking, strategic planning, and evidence-based decision-making tailored to the needs of modern academic institutions.
Master of Business Administration
Why Seminar in Contemporary Topics in Management?
The Seminar in Contemporary Topics in Management course provides an engaging discussion-based learning experience where students can explore various topics, share their perspectives, critiques, and arguments, and participate in in-depth discussions to generate new ideas and stay up-to-date with current business practices and trends.
In today’s world, industries and areas of study are constantly evolving and advancing. This course helps students keep pace with the latest information, technologies, and business solutions and best practices. As an aspiring MBA graduate, this course provides me with the opportunity to conduct research and case studies on emerging issues that are not covered in the main curriculum, with a particular focus on contemporary business practices and challenges in the UAE and MENA region.
One of the great things about this course is that it allows me to explore topics of personal interest, conduct thorough research, and analyze data to draw insightful conclusions. For example, I conducted a case study on Excellence in Higher Education, which is directly relevant to my professional career as an employee at American University in the Emirates. Specifically, my study focused on the role of accreditation as a framework for achieving excellence in higher education.
Participating in the Seminar in Contemporary Topics in Management course has also helped me to develop important skills, such as public speaking, which has boosted my self-confidence and honed my research and deductive reasoning abilities.
I am grateful for the opportunity to attend this course with Dr. Houda El Mustapha, who exhibited a wealth of knowledge and provided valuable insights into various topics, research methods, and practical applications of innovative technological ideas in real-life scenarios. The discussions in the class were enriching and allowed us to dive deep into the topics. This course has been an integral part of my MBA journey, and I am thankful for Dr Houda’s guidance and expertise.
Selected Topics
Organizational Excellence & Civility
Organizational Excellence is a collaborative effort that requires the entire entity to work together towards producing products or services that meet the high expectations of stakeholders, especially customers. It involves a continuous process of improvement to achieve exceptional results. Achieving Organizational Excellence necessitates strong leadership, effective planning, and the creation of a positive work environment. Maintaining a friendly and respectful workplace culture is critical to building a healthy environment that promotes employee well-being and encourages teamwork, efficiency, and productivity. It also boosts employee retention and loyalty, leading to a more cohesive and successful organization overall.
Expo 2020 & Smart City
Dubai is committed to becoming a leading smart and well-connected city by 2017, with a strong emphasis on technology innovation and knowledge advancement. The aim is to take a leadership role in these areas, rather than simply following trends. The Smart Cities Mission is designed to facilitate economic growth and enhance the quality of life for residents by promoting local area development and leveraging technology to achieve smart outcomes. On November 27, 2013, Dubai triumphed over numerous international cities, including Brazil, Turkey, and Russia, to secure the bid for Expo 2020. This was a significant achievement that further reinforces Dubai's position as a global leader in innovation and progress.
Excellence in Higher Education
In 2017, the Prime Minister H.H. Shaikh Mohamad Bin Rashid made an ambitious announcement stating that by 2071, the education sector in the UAE should be among the world's foremost education sectors. As a university that lives by the motto "Nothing is Impossible," American University in the Emirates wasted no time pondering how to achieve this daunting objective. In early 2019, the university took the first step towards achieving this goal by deciding to apply for international accreditation with SACSCOC. This decision demonstrates the university's commitment to providing world-class education to its students and achieving excellence that will propel the UAE education sector to the top of the global stage.
Blockchain
To assess the effectiveness of applying blockchain technology in the education sector, the Lansiti and Lakhani framework proposes four transformation phases. This framework uses coordination and novelty as the dimensions to determine the extent to which technology will impact the environment, industry, or organization and how it will be perceived and received by users. In terms of education, the use of blockchain technology to create a lifetime and secured academic record represents an ideal application of this innovative technology, fulfilling a noble mission. By leveraging the secure and immutable nature of blockchain, academic records can be stored safely and accessibly, providing a trusted source of information for employers, academic institutions, and students. This approach aligns with the framework's criteria and offers a promising solution that could revolutionize the way we manage academic records.
MY REFLECTION
Business Excellence & Civility At work
What gets measured, gets done, what gets measured gets improved.
Civility means respect, courtesy, and tolerance. Civility at work is beneficial for both employees and employers. When you display a civil attitude, you feel good and it creates a great working environment. it is the best tool to create a motivated team that strive to support each other and the organization.
I realized that hiring the right person with the right attitude can contribute to the overall organizational excellence through attitude and civility screening.
Expo 2020 & Smart City
There is still no uniform definition of the concept of smart city and many different approaches have been used for it. Every definition deals with different parts like smart grid, intelligent transportation system, smart home, smart water, smart medical care, smart food, smart education, smart shopping, and so on.
Offering Smart people a smart environment, smart living, smart mobility, smart government, smart communication, and this leads to a smart economy;
Excellence in Higher Education
In this project, I picked the hot topic of Accreditation in Higher Education. The journey of continuous improvement starts with proper planning, strong leadership, effective performance management, and team empowerment.
Benchmarking is one important tool to start the journey of excellence through seeking best practices from other universities and seeking guidance from experts in the field.
Blockchain
The blockchain technology has been one of the significant innovations in the last century and has a huge potential for the future where it would be more or less the must-have technology like it is for the internet and anti-virus.
Blockchain technology will enable the education sector to have more accurate, update, and reliable data. Such tamper-free data can measure the effectiveness of some programs, methods of learning, and effectiveness of universities and faculty, improving the level of data sharing for the benefits of universities and business industries.
Topics' Videos
Organizational Excellence
Dubai Smart City
Blockchain
Special Homage
My tribute and homage to a loved professor and mentor Prof. Mohamed Youssef. a humble servant, and highly competent in his field of expertise. Through the course of Research Methods, Prof Youssef’s contribution to my MBA was immense, he helped me in developing a great passion for the research field. I was excited about my MBA journey at AUE and carved my way to completing this well-deserved Master’s program.
Rest in Peace!