Syed Ahmad Rafey

Villa College is the first private higher education institution in the Maldives, founded in 2007 by Hon. Dr. Qasim Ibrahim, Chairman of the Villa Group, through a Public Private Partnership Agreement with the Government of Maldives. Starting with just 54 students in four classrooms, the College has grown significantly and pioneered franchise programmes in the country through partnerships with international universities. Open University of Malaysia (OUM) was Villa College’s first international partner and contributed significantly to establishing the College’s brand in the community. In 2015, Villa College established a partnership with the University of the West of England (UWE), which has become one of its most fruitful partnerships. Since then, the College has collaborated with numerous universities, most recently Taylor’s University, through an agreement that will introduce Culinary Arts as a new field of study. Over the years, Villa College has significantly expanded the diversity of its academic portfolio, offering programmes in high demand areas such as Masters in Counseling as well as niche disciplines such as Art and Design, while continuing to address the evolving needs and interests of the community.

Qasim Ibrahim School of Business (QISB) is Villa College’s dedicated business school, focused on business education, research, entrepreneurship development, and professional growth. QISB offers a broad portfolio of undergraduate, postgraduate, and professional programmes across business and management disciplines and has established strong links with industry and international academic partners. The School is committed to academic excellence, innovation, integrity, collaboration, and social responsibility, with a focus on developing ethical leaders and entrepreneurs who can contribute to sustainable economic growth. QISB has also achieved SAQS accreditation, becoming the first business school in the Maldives to receive this recognition.

Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development (CIED) is the entrepreneurship and innovation development centre under QISB, established to foster innovation, entrepreneurship, venture creation, and collaboration between academia, industry, and the wider entrepreneurial ecosystem. CIED provides a platform for aspiring entrepreneurs, student innovators, and early stage ventures to access entrepreneurship education, mentorship, innovation support, and opportunities for venture development.

VIgnite, QISB Incubator, operates under CIED and serves as the incubation and venture development platform of QISB. VIgnite focuses on nurturing innovation led ventures through structured incubation, mentorship, entrepreneurship education, venture development, and ecosystem partnerships. Its activities are designed to strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem while supporting ventures aligned with areas of strategic importance to the Maldives, including the blue economy, sustainable tourism, climate resilience, and women’s entrepreneurship. Through VIgnite, CIED and QISB extend their commitment to entrepreneurship beyond the classroom, creating a platform where ideas can be developed, validated, and transformed into viable ventures.