Going Pro: New PADI Five Star Academy Opens in Maldives
Maldives Scuba Diving Guide
![thila diving in maldives](https://maldives-magazine.com/pictures/going-pro-new-padi-five-star-academy-opens-in-maldives.avif)
18 March, 2024
The Maldives’ first and only PADI Five Star Career Development Center, the Maldivian Academy of Diving, has officially opened its doors in K. Himmafushi. This new academy signifies a major step forward for professional dive training in the Maldives.
The Academy is dedicated to providing top-tier, professional-level dive training programs that meet the most rigorous standards set by the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI). They recently concluded their inaugural PADI Instructor Development Course on March 3rd, and their next PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor Course is scheduled for July 29th to August 13th, 2024.
Leading the Academy is Adam Ashraf, a PADI Platinum Course Director for both 2022 and 2023. For the past decade, Ashraf has been running Dive Desk, a highly successful dive center in Malé. In fact, Dive Desk was the most successful PADI professional development center in the Maldives in 2023, earning the prestigious PADI EMEA Platinum Professional Development Excellence Award. This award recognizes the center’s exceptional performance in training new dive professionals, with Dive Desk being the only Maldivian center and one of only ten in the entire Europe, Middle-East & Africa (EMEA) region to receive this recognition.
Platinum status for both the Course Director and the Dive Center is not given lightly. It’s awarded based on a strict criteria of the number of professional-level certifications issued by PADI. Adding to Dive Desk’s accolades, they were also awarded the PADI Outstanding Contribution to People and Humanity Award last month for their dedication to fostering opportunities for Maldivians in the diving industry.
Despite a decade of success and consistently running the top PADI professional development programs in the Maldives for the past seven years, Dive Desk faced challenges. Limited space at their facility and the high cost of accommodation for students staying in Malé for extended periods were significant hurdles.
The Maldivian Academy of Diving was established specifically to address these issues. Located in Himmafushi, the Academy offers a more spacious learning environment and affordable accommodation options for students, all within close proximity to the capital city. The Academy will soon be offering on-site dorm rooms as well.
The Academy caters to all levels of diving experience, from those just beginning their underwater journey to seasoned divers seeking to become instructors. They offer a comprehensive range of courses and certifications to equip students with the skills and knowledge needed to achieve their diving goals.
The opening of the Maldivian Academy of Diving represents a significant milestone in Adam Ashraf’s ongoing mission to empower Maldivian youth to pursue careers in the diving industry.
For more information dive into www.divedesk.mv
Related Stories
Scuba Diving in the Maldives
![Scuba Diving first time](https://maldives-magazine.com/pictures/padi-owd-cource-hurawalhi-resort.avif)
Budget travellers choose Maldives as their destination of choice thanks to the variety of affordable stays available, which range from budget guesthouses to backpacker-friendly hotels – there are all accomodation available for under USD 50 a night! The Maldives is a fascinating country to travel to independently, not least because it’s only been possible to do so for the past decade.
Scuba diving in the Maldives means diving at one of the worlds best scuba diving destinations, because of the white sand beaches, coral reefs, clear warm waters, dive sites and a thriving and vibrant marine life. Explore excellent dive sites and a collection of underwater gardens. They're abundant with extensive coral reefs and magnificent fish life. It's common to see sharks, turtles, manta rays, whale sharks and a kaleidoscopic range of tropical sea creatures.
Read More![what is better: beach or overwater](https://maldives-magazine.com/pictures/beach-or-water-villa-to-stay-maldives.avif)
Beach or Water Villa?
Maldives - a name that became synonymous with honeymooners' paradise in the tourism world, has slowly revamped to cater to the needs of families visiting
Read More![Maldives Resort Offers & Packages](https://maldives-magazine.com/pictures/resort-hot-deals.avif)
Best Maldives Resort Offers & Packages
Find out more about the most unparalleled Maldives hotel deals and special rates, when Book Direct your next beach holiday
Read More![Best Resorts for Vegetarians](https://maldives-magazine.com/pictures/maldivy-oteli-otzyvy.avif)
Maldives Hotel Reviews
Some of the best hotels and resorts in the Maldives are already included in this list, and the good part of them offers the best prices. We will constantly add new hotels
Read More![10 Exclusive Resorts in Maldives](https://maldives-magazine.com/pictures/sonevajani-water-villas.avif)
10 Exclusive Resorts in Maldives
The Maldives is paradise destination that should be on the bucket list of every discerning travelers. There's a special breed of hotels there that cater to the most tasteful of luxury travelers Read More
![water pool villas, male](https://maldives-magazine.com/pictures/maldives-new-resorts-20222_s.jpg)
Newest Maldives resorts to Explore in 2024
Here are just 10 of the amazing new resorts in the Maldives that are set to welcome guests Read More
![10 Cheapest Water Villa Resorts in Maldives](https://maldives-magazine.com/pictures/cheap-water-villa-in-maldives.avif)
10 Most Affordable Water Villas
While it may never be cheap to visit thу Maldives, fortunately there are still some chic and relatively affordable overwater villas you can stay. Read more
![luxury privaye villa](https://maldives-magazine.com/pictures/maldives-luxury-holiday-guide-5.avif)
Maldives Luxury Guide
Here's the best of Maldives for luxury travellers. We've compiled the finest recommendations of places to stay, ranging from the most celebrated five-star resorts to luxurious private islands Read More
![honeymoon](https://maldives-magazine.com/pictures/Coco-Bodu-Hithi-honeymoon.avif)
Maldives Romantic Guide
The ultimate ‘flop and drop' and honeymoon destination, the Maldives is the playground for the most amazing and finest utilization of each second of this extremely valuable and hopeful time with each other in tota Read More
![maldives on the cheap](https://maldives-magazine.com/pictures/maldivy-deshevo-v-ray.avif)
Maldives Budget Guide
Budget travellers choose Maldives as their destination of choice thanks to the variety of affordable stays Read More
![family holiday](https://maldives-magazine.com/pictures/maldives-family-guide-5.avif)
Maldives Family Guide
Maldives - a name that became synonymous with honeymooners' paradise in the tourism world, has slowly Read More
![scuba diving in the maldives ultimate guide](https://maldives-magazine.com/pictures/first-time-diving-in-maldives.avif)
Maldives Diving Guide
The life of these paradise islands below the Indian Ocean's level is the main draw attracting thousands of divers Read More