Before They’re Practitioners: Understanding Student Interest in BCM Certification
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As the business continuity profession continues to grow, understanding how the next generation of practitioners views professional certification is critical to shaping effective career development pathways. This session presents preliminary findings from a research study exploring undergraduate interest in BCM certification, including what motivates students to pursue credentials like CBCI and MBCI, what barriers stand in their way, and what kind of institutional and industry support they say would help most.
Drawing on survey data from undergraduate BCM and Emergency Management students at Rabdan Academy, this session offers a student's eye view of the certification journey: high interest paired with real challenges around cost, access, and guidance. Attendees, including educators, certifying bodies, and early-career professionals, will come away with insight into how educational institutions can better support students at the very start of their professional journey.
We look forward to seeing you!
Speakers:
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Nafla Abdul Lathief
Business Continuity Management Student, Rabdan Academy
Nafla Abdul Lathief is a third-year undergraduate at Rabdan Academy, Abu Dhabi, pursuing Business Continuity Management on a full presidential scholarship. She has been shortlisted for the BCI Middle East Awards 2026 in the Continuity and Resilience Newcomer category. A dedicated student researcher, her work spans Mubadala-sponsored research programs and collaborative research on student interest in BCM professional certification. As President of the BCM Club, she has led several club events and panel discussions with business continuity industry professionals.
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