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Young delegates make once-in-a-lifetime visit to Microsoft, Boeing & Costco offices, University of Washington

ALHOSN University’s MIS students fly off to US on 10-day education & industry tour
March 11, 2013
Affirming an institutional commitment to  the philosophy of ‘global knowledge with local vision,’ the Management Information Systems (MIS) Department  at ALHOSN University, a leading Abu Dhabi-based university dedicated to high-quality, value-based education,  sent nine of its students (a male and 8 females) on a once-in-a-lifetime 10-day trip to Seattle, USA, to learn about America’s educational and industrial practices.

Encouraged by University Vice Chancellor, the trip was meticulously prepared six months in advance by Dr. Fadia Hegazy, Associate Professor and Chair of the MIS Department,and Dr. Kamel Ghorab, Professor of MIS and strategic Management, who served as chaperons to the lucky participants.
The tour included a two-day visit to the offices of software giant Microsoft, where students participated in a series of workshops on Microsoft’s Program, Cloud Computing  and Source Control at social networking service company Facebook.  The delegates also paid a formal visit to Microsoft’s Visitors Center and Company Store where they learned about the evolution of the personal computer and its software applications.
Another highlight was the visit to the Future of Flight Aviation Center and Boeing Company. The students took a 4-hour tour of Boeing’s production plant in Everett, Washington, where they witnessed the preparation of 747, 767, 777 and 787 jets prior to assembly. They were exposed to various management systems, concepts and techniques such as Just-In-Time, Production Smoothing, In-Process Product Inventory Management, and Management by Objectives, among many others.
The young delegates also got the chance to visit Costco superstore, the famous wholesale club, where they learned about the company’s unique marketing model. Costco’s practices have been covered by many Strategic, Marketing and Business Management textbooks. A quick visit to Google was also scheduled.
To satisfy the academic curiosity of the delegates, ALHOSN’s MIS Department also arranged for a visit to the University of Washington (UW), one of the world’s leading research universities. Members of UW’s Information College  noted how the quality content and goals of ALHOSN’s academic programs were comparable to their own. Many of the visiting delegates voiced their interest to join UW for their future pursuit of a Doctoral Degree in MIS.
“Fun and learning typically do not mix, but at ALHOSN we follow a holistic approach to personal and professional development. While of course we wanted to expose our students to some of the best educational and industry practices in the US, we also included elements of fun into their trip. This balancing of work, play and socialization is something that we hope our students will bring with them as productive members of their respective communities. We intend to continue preparing impressionable activities such as this US trip to bring about future leaders who are aware of the world, their selves, and their relevance to society,” said Prof. Ghorab.
“Our trip to the US was a wonderful experience that taught us that the more we learn and acquire practical skills, the more opportunities we get to be recognized not only nationally, but internationally as well. The visit showed us that learning does not end in the classroom, but is rather a continuous process of development depending on how you embrace creativity and innovation,” said Aref Al Hammadi , a student participant.
Among the fun activities included in the delegates’ calendar were a sightseeing tour of Seattle, a cruise of Lake Washington, meals at The Cheese Cake Factory and Olive Gardens Italian Restaurant, and stopovers at the Southern Mall Center and The Square. Tour organizers were impressed by the discipline, respect and appreciation shown by the students.
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About ALHOSN University:
ALHOSN University is a leading private university dedicated to high-quality, value-based education under the slogan “Global Knowledge with Local Vision.” The Abu Dhabi-based institution is owned and supported by the Abu Dhabi Holding Company and is fully accredited by the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.
ALHOSN University manages accredited programs (12 undergraduate and 7 graduate) in three faculties, all of which were developed by top North American educational experts. Undergraduate academic degrees are offered as four-year programs and taught in English, except for the Arabic education component.
The University’s City Campus includes the Men’s Campus, the Women’s Campus, the Engineering Lab Building, the Library Building, and the Lectures Building, all located at the heart of Abu Dhabi. A main campus with world-class, state-of-the-art facilities will soon be constructed. ALHOSN is open to students from all nationalities.
For further information, please contact:
Wafa Mousa
Marketing & Events Manager 


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Ministry of Education honours Dubai Quality Group with ‘Knights of Communication Award’

DQG recognized for its contributions to the MOE’s ongoing development initiatives
Dubai, UAE – March 9, 2013 – The UAE Ministry of Education (MOE) recently presented Dubai Quality Group (DQG), a non-profit organization that advances learning, promotes quality improvement and Business Excellence practices, the ‘Knights of Communication Award’, which recognizes strategic partners, collaborators and innovators that contributed to the Ministry’s ongoing development initiatives. Badriya Al Tamimi, Managing Director of DQG, received the award on behalf of DQG from H.E. Ali Mehad Al Suwaidi, Acting Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education, during a ceremony attended by H.E. Marwan Ahmad Al Sawaleh, Assistant Undersecretary for the Supporting Services, and department directors from the Ministry and educational districts.

The Ministry of Education has benefited from the support extended by DQG and other strategic partners in its continuing efforts to further enhance the standards of excellence in the delivery of education across the UAE. Moreover, DQG had previously signed a memorandum of agreement with MOE to collaborate in various quality-related projects.
Dr. Yousef Al Akraf, Chairman of DQG, said: “The Ministry of Education plays a crucial role in training and nurturing the future leaders of the UAE. Education has certainly been one of the top priorities of the UAE as reflected by the extensive educational expenditure by the government each year. Dubai Quality Group shares the vision of the UAE Government to promote education as a major driving force behind the sustainable socioeconomic development of the country. We are therefore strongly committed to support the Ministry of Education in its continuing thrust to improve the quality of education and ultimately produce highly competent and deeply motivated graduates who will sustain the gains that the UAE has achieved as one of the most progressive societies in the modern world.”
Badriya Al Tamimi, Managing Director of DQG, said: “The ‘Knights of Communication Award’ clearly demonstrates the continuing success of Dubai Quality Group in pursuit of its mission to promote a culture excellence in the society. DQG has certainly maintained a highly productive partnership with the Ministry of Education. We aim to build on this very important milestone as we further expand our collaboration with the MOE.”
  
Dubai Quality Group is non-profit business organization set up by the Dubai Department of Economic Development under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum. Guided by the vision of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Dubai Quality Group was established in 1993 to develop and promote Quality and Business Excellences practices in UAE.


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Vocational educational sees an upsurge in Abu Dhabi (video)

Vocational education originates from the age old apprenticeship system. But as the job market becomes more specialized, economies demand higher levels of skills. And this is the gap that vocational education can fill – providing a more hands on learning experience. Emirates 24/7 on Dubai One’s Jieun Wrigley went down to the Abu Dhabi Vocational Education and Training Institute to see how they’re preparing Emiratis for a more specialized job market.



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Challenges around ‘Big Data’ Management to be discussed at NYUAD / Polytechnic Institute of NYU / Injazat Data Systems conference in Abu Dhabi

Exponential growth of data changing the global business landscape
Abu Dhabi, March 07, 2013 – Leading researchers from around the world will converge in Abu Dhabi to discuss information technology challenges in big data — the term for a collection of large, complex data sets that are difficult to process with existing data management and processing applications. The NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) Institute, the Polytechnic Institute of NYU, and Injazat Data Systems — an industry-recognized market leader in the region for information technology and cloud and data center managed services — will host a conference on “Big Data Systems, Applications, and Privacy” to discuss the business, government, education, and entertainment impacts of the big data phenomenon. The event will be open to the public and will run from March 10 to 11, 2013, at Injazat’s headquarters in Mohammed Bin Zayed City, Abu Dhabi.

Big data is changing IT frameworks around the world. According to IBM, in 2012, 2.5 exabytes (quintillion bytes) of data were created every day. This massive influx of information requires a re-thinking of data security, handling, and delivery across various types of organizations and industries.

Technology experts from prestigious international and local organizations, including AT&T Labs, IBM, Google, Cisco Systems, Duke University, Huawei, Bell Labs, UAE University, and the Emirates Identity Authority, will share expertise and insights on diverse topics ranging from large-scale data mining and social information filtering to crisis informatics and data in developing regions. The conference will also include a presentation from Injazat’s Head of Information Security Kamran Ahsan on “Big Data, effective utilization for security intelligence.”
Torsten Suel, Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at the Polytechnic Institute of NYU and chair of the conference, said: “Effective and intelligent data management is a critical concern for modern society, particularly as current levels of data production are outpacing the ability of our existing systems to manage voluminous information. NYUAD’s Data Center and Cloud Computing Laboratory was established with the aim of consolidating the efforts of multiple research groups to promote creativity, innovation, education, and entrepreneurship in this field to help answer underlying challenges.”
“At present, the volume of data created worldwide every two days is around the same as that created between the beginning of civilization and the early 2000s. Clearly there is a need to evaluate and enhance current methods of data management, delivery, and protection to address such exponential growth. The conference organized by NYU Abu Dhabi and the Polytechnic Institute of NYU is an important platform for sharing and gaining strategies on how big data should be approached at the regional and global levels,” said Ibrahim Lari, CEO of Injazat Data Systems.
Injazat Data Systems is developing solutions to meet the challenges posed by big data in areas such as capture, curation, storage, search, sharing, analysis, and visualization. It taps its local and international partnerships with major private and academic organizations to find the answers to some of the technology field’s most pressing issues.
Members of the public can RSVP to attend the event here: http://nyuad.nyu.edu/news-events/abu-dhabi-events.html.
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About NYU Abu Dhabi Institute

NYU Abu Dhabi, through the NYU Abu Dhabi Institute, is a world-class center of cutting-edge research, scholarship, and cultural activity. The Institute creates singular opportunities for leading faculty members from across the arts, humanities, social sciences, sciences, engineering, and the professions to carry out creative scholarship and conduct research on issues of major disciplinary, multidisciplinary, and global significance.
About Injazat Data Systems

Injazat Data Systems is an industry recognized market leader in the region for Information Technology, Data Center and Managed Services delivered from the region’s most sophisticated and advanced facility, the Tier IV design certified Premier Data Center facility. As a local company with a global experience, Injazat continues to develop market-leading services to meet the dynamic needs of customers today and in the future.


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Sharjah’s Major Educational Event Plots Well-Rounded Developmental Path for UAE Nationals

ALHOSN University Discusses Modern Youths’ Learning Needs with Academic Elite at 3rd Universities Forum
UAE, February 24th, 2013 – ALHOSN University, a leading Abu Dhabi-based university dedicated to high-quality, value-based education, joined some of the UAE’s top educational institutions and experts in discussing important issues affecting the learning environment and abilities of youths – particularly UAE Nationals – during the 3rd Universities forum which ran from February 19 to 20, 2013 at the Waset Youth Center in Al Sweihat, Sharjah.
Organized by the Youth Centers Department of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs, Sharjah, this year’s Forum enlightened student attendees on their career options and the right attitudes they need to bring into college and through employment.  Daily sessions were held from 8am to 1pm and 4pm to 10pm.
ALHOSN took this opportunity to inform participants of its holistic approach to personal and professional development under its philosophy of ‘global knowledge with local vision’ and shared its views on the growth of young Emiratis. The university encouraged students to consider unique programs for both genders and entertained inquiries from top students interested in the ALHOSN brand and mission.
“The UAE needs bright, young, driven leaders to sustain the success it has amassed over just four decades of existence. Sharjah’s Universities Forum has always been an important platform for ALHOSN University to determine how to best empower Emirati youths with the knowledge, skills and character they need to continue building this country’s future. As usual we were very pleased with the warm response from the participants and we hope to see many of these faces become part of our university’s family soon,” said Professor Abdul Rahim Sabouni, Vice Chancellor and CEO of ALHOSN University.
The annual Universities Forum in Sharjah was first held in 2011 to support the UAE’s Emiratization program and has since grown into one of Sharjah’s leading special events. The Forum has consistently drawn over 1,500 attendees every year since its inception.
Founded in 2005 by the Abu Dhabi Holding Company to provide high-quality, value-based education to students of all nationalities, ALHOSN University has been at the forefront of dialogue on meaningful and education-driven Emiratization. The university offers 12 officially certified undergraduate and 7 graduate programs under the Faculties of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Business, and Arts and Social Sciences.
About ALHOSN University:
ALHOSN University is a leading private university dedicated to high-quality, value-based education under the slogan “Global Knowledge with Local Vision.” The Abu Dhabi-based institution is owned and supported by the Abu Dhabi Holding Company and is fully accredited by the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.
ALHOSN University manages accredited programs (12 undergraduate and 7 graduate) in three faculties, all of which were developed by top North American educational experts. Undergraduate academic degrees are offered as four-year programs and taught in English, except for the Arabic education component.
The University’s City Campus includes the Men’s Campus, the Women’s Campus, the Engineering Lab Building, the Library Building, and the Lectures Building, all located at the heart of Abu Dhabi. A main campus with world-class, state-of-the-art facilities will soon be constructed. ALHOSN is open to students from all nationalities.


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Development of UAE and Arab Nationals is at the heart of the Bank’s strategy

Standard Chartered participates at the 15th National Career Exhibition
Dubai, UAE – February 18, 2013 – Standard Chartered announced today that it will be participating at the 15th Edition of the National Career Exhibition which is taking place at the Expo Centre in Sharjah from 20th to 22ndof February, 2013.  At the Exhibition, Standard Chartered will be identifying prospect UAE National talent who fit in the various departments across the Bank.

Standard Chartered is also an active supporter of ‘Masrafi’, the UAE government initiative which aims to boost emiratisation levels in the banking sector and is in cooperation with the National Human Resources and Development Authority, ‘Tanmia’ and the Emirates Institute of Banking and Financial Studies(EIBFS). In this context, Standard Chartered is continuously providing training and employment opportunities for UAE National talent. The bank is also an active participant in the banking career days and constantly doing career guidance visits to Colleges, Universities and Schools.
Jane Siney, Head of Human Resources, UAE and Middle East, Standard Chartered.
Commenting on the Bank’s participation at the Exhibition, Jane Siney, Head of Human Resources, UAE and Middle East, Standard Chartered said:
”Creating a talent pool of UAE and Arab Nationals capable of leading the Bank and the industry in the future is at the heart of Standard Chartered Bank’s strategy in the region.  This is reflected in our successful Emiratization strategy which focuses on attracting, training and retaining talented UAE Nationals. Today, 100% of the Bank’s 11 Branches are managed by UAE Nationals. Our participation at this exhibition comes in line with our aspiration to be the employer of choice around the world and in the UAE.”
As a part of its strategy, Standard Chartered has a number of strategic alliances with several UAE based organisations and provides a number of training programmes which make it one of the best employers for UAE Nationals in the country. Below is a list of the programmes that the Bank currently provides: 
The Al Tahadi Educational Support Programme: This programme provides UAE National students with financial support while they are completing their studies, and guarantees access to global opportunities at Standard Chartered. This programme ensures that an increased number of talented UAE Nationals join our Management Trainee Programme.
Management Trainee Programme: Scholars under the Al Tahadi Programme graduate and join the Bank. This programme was first launched in August 2007. This is a structured one year programme with rotations providing broad experience within the Bank, which allows graduates “hands on experience” of potential career paths.
The Consumer Banking Academy and the Al Massar Programme: These programmes aim to acquaint UAE Nationals with the financial services industry, including product knowledge and risks associated with Consumer and Wholesale Banking.
MBA Programme: This programme offers MBA graduates individually-tailored career paths, with significant exposure to senior management and a global MBA network.
International Graduate Programme: The programmes last up to 18 months and provide candidates with an International Induction Programme (IIP) and an academic programme, role rotations in different business or support functions, a regional Action Learning Programme where candidates will collaborate with other graduates to develop and implement projects. The programme also provides extensive formal and informal learning opportunities to accelerate the development of the future leaders of the bank. 
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For further information please contact:
Ramy Lawand
Senior Regional Manager, Corporate Affairs
T: +971 4 508 2564
M: +971566759894
Notes to editors:
Standard Chartered – leading the way in Asia, Africa and the Middle East
Standard Chartered is a leading international banking group. It has operated for over 150 years in some of the world’s most dynamic markets and earns around 90 per cent of its income and profits in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. This geographic focus and commitment to developing deep relationships with clients and customers has driven the Bank’s growth in recent years. Standard Chartered PLC is listed on the London and Hong Kong stock exchanges as well as the Bombay and National Stock Exchanges in India.
With 1,700 offices in 70 markets, the Group offers exciting and challenging international career opportunities for 87,000 staff. It is committed to building a sustainable business over the long term and is trusted worldwide for upholding high standards of corporate governance, social responsibility, environmental protection and employee diversity. Standard Chartered’s heritage and values are expressed in its brand promise, ‘Here for good’.
For further information please visit www.standardchartered.ae. Follow Standard Chartered at www.facebook.com/standardchartereduae and on Twitter @StanChartMENAP.


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English Premier League & British Council Support ‘Premier Skills’ Initiative to Use Football to Develop UAE Youth Skills

Over 1,100 coaches in 20 countries engaged in the Premier Skills programme targeting 500,000 young people
London, United Kingdom, Dubai, UAE, 14 February 2013 – The English Premier League, Bolton Wanderers FC and the British Council today unveiled their support the ‘Premier Skills Community Coaching Initiative’, an innovative programme that will use football as a tool to engage with and develop the skills of young people in the UAE.

The English Premier League’s Premier Skills Programme will be visiting Dubai from March 30 to April 4, 2013, to look at the scenario and challenges in the UAE in using football for education and social inclusion, as well as to explore the scope for a Premier Skills project between the UAE and the UK. 
Between 2010-2013, more than 1,100 coaches are being trained and by the summer of 2013 the target of the Premier Skills programme is to reach more than 500,000 young people through coaches in 20 countries, including the UAE.
In partnership with E-Sports the six-day, full-time Programme, to be held at GEMS World Academy, will offer students aged 16 and above a community coaching award endorsed by and branded under the English Premier League.
Ian Laithwaite – Head of Bolton Wanders Community Trust said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for young people in the UAE to gain an internationally recognised qualification and also enhance their personal profile with a worldwide football brand.”
Since the first pilot in 2007, Premier Skills has been delivered across 20 countries, including Botswana, Brazil, Cameroon, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Malawi, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, South Korea, Sudan, Tunisia (including Libyan participants), Uganda and Vietnam.
James Tucker, Director of Education, Bolton Wanderers Football Club said: “This innovative programme we are unveiling today in the UAE uses the ‘football for good’ concept, leveraging the interest in the Premier League to address wider educational and social issues in local communities. This concept is being successfully delivered by Premier League clubs across the UK.”
“The programme is about learning from some of the innovative and successful work being delivered in the UK and applying some of the learning to the UAE,” added Tucker.
Tucker added: “UAE partners will play a crucial role in the Premier Skills programme. Premier Skills looks to work with existing partners, programmes or networks to build on the current work and look to share expertise and training in ‘football for good’. We are looking for UAE partners who have an interest in supporting the concept of Football for Good and community development. These partners will provide access to venues and equipment which can be used during the course. Other roles could be around putting forward participants to attend the course as well as access to networks of community coaches or sports clubs. The important aspect is that partners have the potential to apply and embed the learning from the course within their networks and in local communities.”
Premier Skills will use the global pulling power of football as a tool for the development of wider skills, community development and English Language learning.  It builds upon research that shows there is a high demand worldwide for community coaching and leadership development through sport.