Posted on

Premier gathering of world’s leading proponents in open and distance education to be held in Arab world for the first time.

Hamdan Bin Mohammed e-University officially launches SCOP meeting 2012 in Dubai
September 24, 2012
Under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and President of Hamdan Bin Mohammed e-University. Hamdan Bin Mohammed e-University (HBMeU) has today (Monday, September 24, 2012) officially launched at a press conference, the 2012 edition of the International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE) Standing Conference of Presidents (SCOP), a prestigious annual gathering of education institutions engaged in open, distance and flexible learning that will be held for the first time in the Arab world.

The SCOP meeting 2012, which will be held under the theme Open and Distance Education (ODE): Barriers, Opportunities & Strategies Forward, will run from November 12 to 15.
This year’s edition of the SCOP meeting will tackle various challenges and barriers associated with the implementation of ODE from both an international and regional perspective. It will also explore opportunities ODE provides in helping countries overcome socio-economical challenges and will provide insights into successful strategies for advocacy of ODE. The meeting places particular focus on the latest trends and developments in ODE, including Open Educational Resources, quality and regulatory framework, among others.
The keynote speakers and presenters at the SCOP meeting 2012 will include, Dr. Laurence F. Johnson, Chief Executive Office of the New Media Consortium; Dr. Badr Aboul-Ela, Director of the Commission for Academic Accreditation, Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, U.A.E Vice-President of the Arab Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education(ANQAAHE); Dr. Meg Benke, Officer in Charge, Office of the President, Empire State College, State University of New York, USA; Prof. Emeritus Anuwar Ali, President/Vice Chancellor, Open University Malaysia (OUM); Dr. Venkataraman Balaji, Director, Technology & Knowledge Management, Commonwealth of Learning.
Dr. Mansoor Al Awar, Chancellor, HBMeU said: “The SCOP meeting presents an excellent opportunity to conduct high-level discussions about the opportunities and challenges presented by open and distance education in the Middle East. Our ultimate goal is to further expand our knowledge and understanding of open and distance education to make it a truly invaluable tool in achieving sustainable socioeconomic growth and development in the Middle East and around the world. Hamdan Bin Mohammed e-University has been one of the world’s leading proponents of e-learning and we are therefore eager to share our own ideas and experiences to establish new benchmarks for quality and excellence in the field of open and distance education.”
Professor Tian Belawati, President of ICDE and Rector of the Indonesian Open University, said, “Bringing the annual ICDE SCOP meeting to the Middle East is an important move that reinforces our commitment to promote open and distance learning as a new platform for academic excellence all over the world. We are certainly pleased with the preparations that Hamdan Bin Mohammed e-University has made to ensure the success of the upcoming meeting. HBMeU has been a pioneering figure in e-learning in the Middle East and we are therefore looking forward to learn from their vast experience in promoting open and distance education from a completely new perspective.”
ICDE is a network of 100 educational institutions worldwide working to promote open and distance learning, and provide opportunities for exchange of educational best practices between countries and regions. SCOP is an annual event organised by ICDE for high-level, confidential exchange of information, quality enhancement strategies and policy directions.
The Main sponsors of SCOP meeting 2012 are Emirates Identity Authority, AWQAF and Minors Affairs Foundation, Dubai Customs and Dubai eGovernment. Other sponsors include Dubai Heath Authority, Bafco, Al Reyami Signs Industries LLC and Etisalat.
– Ends –


Posted on

Skyline University College (video)

Skyline University College (SUC) was established in 1990 in Sharjah, a city that has been recognized as a hub for education, culture and heritage by UNESCO. The SUC was established under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qassimi, the member of the UAE Supreme Council and the Ruler of Sharjah. H.H. Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qassimi has always supported SUC in its pursuit to offer high quality education. SUC believes in responding innovatively and effectively to train human resources and fulfill educational needs of industries like Aviation, Hospitality, Travel & Tourism, Information Systems, Marketing, Business Management and Finance sectors, and is presently one of the leading Universities in Northern Emirates.



Posted on

ALHOSN University taps multicultural expertise to deliver world-class education with local vision

Educators from 36 nations set to engage Abu Dhabi’s bright young minds at 2012 Fall Semester
Complementing the Abu Dhabi Vision 2030 development plan’s focus on further raising local standards of education, ALHOSN University has assembled a prestigious lineup of educators from 36 countries that will instill the institution’s vision of ‘global knowledge with local vision’ during the 2012 Fall Semester.

The Vision 2030 framework aims to bring in more expertise from abroad to reinforce Abu Dhabi’s education sector and ensure that the curriculum and quality of delivery are at par with the world’s best. ALHOSN has taken this approach to heart by welcoming onboard academicians from all over the world who are highly qualified to impart the skills necessary for students – especially Emiratis who form 60 per cent of the university’s population – to become productive contributors to the formal economy and society as a whole. To meet the specific needs of its students, ALHOSN has developed nineteen undergraduate and graduate programs in Engineering, Business, and Education. All these programs have received accreditation from the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in the UAE, and several have also been granted accreditation from prestigious professional international accreditation boards.
ALHOSN has announced that it will be accepting applicants for the upcoming 2012 Fall Semester during its ‘Registration Weeks’ from September 2nd to 23rd. To spice up the registration period, the university will offer scholarships, raffle off free Admission fees, and launch exciting campaigns on Facebook and other key social networks. ALHOSN will also continue its advocacy of encouraging more women to participate in technical fields such as Mechanical, Industrial and Civil Engineering by offering special scholarships. There are currently about 200 new incoming students already registered, with more expected to follow in the coming two weeks. Classes are scheduled to begin on Sunday, September 9th.
“If we want to help our students make a difference in the world, then we must bring global experiences and expertise to them,” said Prof. Abdul Rahim Sabouni, ALHOSN’s Vice Chancellor and CEO. “ALHOSN invests heavily to ensure that its academic personnel are up to the challenge of molding productive citizens and future leaders who have a global view of things while they seek the betterment of their community.  For this coming Fall Semester we have assembled a dedicated and highly competent team of educators of almost 40 nationalities who will ensure that we live up to our commitments to our students and their parents and guardians.”
“We also want to maintain an equal-opportunity environment and fill the gender gap in some professions in the UAE and the region, by encouraging our female students to pursue Engineering degrees such as Civil Engineering, and Industrial Engineering” Prof. Sabouni added.
ALHOSN University has been experiencing a remarkable period of growth which has seen its student body grow to more than 1,600 at the start of Fall Semester. This year’s graduating class is expected to top the previous year’s class of 250 graduates. ALHOSN continues to reap praises for equipping both UAE Nationals as well as expat students from around the world with skills and competencies above and beyond those sought by the organizations they have joined.