Deloitte has launched Deloitte University Europe, the Middle East and Africa (DU EMEA) to help staff – and ultimately clients – navigate market changes and stay on the leading edge of learning and innovation.

Located in Belgium, the university builds on the success of Deloitte University (DU) launched two years ago in Westlake, Texas, the US, which has been attended by more than 50,000 Deloitte staff and clients from over 70 countries.

“Competition for talent in the coming years will be challenging. Deloitte University EMEA will help the organisation attract and retain talent by distinguishing Deloitte from its competitors,” said Malcolm Booker, chief executive officer of Deloitte Malta.

“We aim to develop comprehensive, innovative and impactful solutions to the challenges faced by clients and by society. DU EMEA is an important platform for sharing experiences and insights that will contribute to those solutions.”

Barry Salzberg, Global CEO of DTTL added: “As a professional services organisation, we need smart, well-trained people to serve our clients across borders. Deloitte professionals are the greatest asset we have, and we’re committed to investing in them and developing them as leaders.

“We launched the first DU in the US two years ago. In that short time it’s become successful beyond our highest expectations. This second university builds on that success and satisfies a need in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.”

In 2014, nearly 4,000 people are expected to participate in the DU EMEA curriculum, representing 10,000 training days, rising to at least 30,000 training days annually in the next three years.