Founder and CEO
Meet Faheem Abbas
Education
Faheem has a post graduate degree in education with specialism in Critical and Creative Thinking from UMASS, Boston (2010), a post-graduate Certificate in teaching Critical Thinking from the Foundation for Critical Thinking (2008), CA, USA, a Certificate in College Counseling from UCLA (2018), CA, USA, and a Certificate in Humanistic Counseling from Therapy Works Pvt. Ltd and CPCAB (2007). His undergraduate degree in Economics is from Bard College (1990), NY, USA which he attended on a full scholarship. Earlier, he attended one of the prestigious United World Colleges at Lester B. Pearson College (1985), BC, Canada from where he completed his International Baccalaureate Diploma on a full scholarship.
VIDEO
Experience in Academia
One of my biggest regrets and disappointments is not having the courage (and know-how) early on in life to acknowledge and chase my childhood dreams and honor my calling. I spent 18 years in the international banking industry, and while we gave each other a lot, I never quite felt the ineffable joy that I do from helping adolescents, every day. This is ‘the’ reason I am in the education and human development space, now for over 12 years; I want to help young people find their vocation, to help them identify, develop and use the attitudes, tools, strategies, pathways, skills and most of all the courage to be themselves so that they can protect, cultivate and enjoy what is sacred in and to them. I think it’s this honest self-reconciliation that empowers one to meaningfully help others.
My most prized source of learnings are not just from all the formal educational degrees I have (and am likely to continue to earn as a life-long learner), but also from an ever growing network of international IECs, admissions officers and other stakeholders whom I constantly meet in a variety of local and international forums. And of course, I always have the benefit of knowing, teaching and learning from so many students, all the way from Grade 7 to Grade 13; it’s just my luck too that I’ve been able to do this within three different educational systems: the Cambridge Assessment International Examinations, the International Baccalaureate and North American educational systems. I also feel fortunate to have lived, worked and studied in three different continents; apart from making me tolerant, this global exposure has helped shape my world view towards mainly a live and let live, humanistic orientation.
I love what I do, always seek to be better at it, and I believe I bring this fullest of efforts and energy to EdAcumen.
Faheem's Qualifications
Certificate in College and Career Counseling (Distinction)
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), 2018
Post Graduate Certificate in Critical and Creative Thinking
University of Massachusetts, Boston (UMASS-Boston), 2013
Certificate (U.K. Level 3) in Integrative Humanistic Counseling
Therapy Works/CPCAB, Karachi, 2009
Graduate Certificate in Teaching Critical Thinking
Foundation for Critical Thinking, California, 2009
B.A. Economics
Bard College, New York, 1989
International Baccalaureate Diploma
United World College at Lester B. Pearson College, British Columbia, 1985
COLLEGE TOURS
Faheem's US Universities Tour 2019
As IEC’s we make it a point to constantly visit as many colleges around the world as possible.
Our core objective through these visits is to develop direct relationships with admissions and financial aid officers, including other stakeholders (current students, faculty, career development and placement, etc.).
In these visits, we strive to acquire a direct understanding and experience of the colleges’ facilities and culture and to stay abreast of any significant changes that impact the student experience.
Massachusetts
Massachusetts
Florida
