Posted on

HBMeU to Discuss Latest Technology & Quality Frameworks at 6th Conference on e-Learning Excellence in the Middle East

University supports National Agenda’s goal of transforming conventional education into smart learning
Dubai, UAE, January 27, 2014 – Hamdan Bin Mohammed e-University (HBMeU) has announced that it will be hosting the 6th Conference on e-Learning Excellence in the Middle East taking place as part of HBMeU Congress 2014 running from March 3 to 5, 2014 under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and President of HBMeU, under the theme “Leading Transformation to Sustainable Excellence”.
The 6th Conference on e-Learning Excellence in the Middle East is being organized with the theme “Leadership, Design, and Technology for XXIst Century Learning,” and it reflects HBMeU’s full support for the implementation of the UAE Vision 2021 development agenda which prioritizes the transformation from conventional education to smart learning.
Dr. Mansoor Al Awar, Chancellor, notes that the upcoming Conference on e-Learning Excellence in the Middle East is a key addition to support the National Agenda that gives special importance to adopt the concept of smart learning. He explains that UAE Vision 2021 supports smart learning as an effective means to develop a high-level educational system based on the latest smart systems and state-of-the-art devices.  The goal, he says, is to enable learners to leverage modern technologies and keep pace with rapid changes within the knowledge society to hasten the country’s comprehensive development.
“HBMeU is firmly committed to offering the necessary elements to shape the foundations of e-learning.  We intend to facilitate the creation of an educational environment that keeps pace with rapid technological development. This will foster a highly-qualified generation that will promote the nation’s growth and help position it among the leading countries of the world by 2021,” said Al Awar.
“The event provides an interactive platform for researchers, academics, e-learning experts, senior government officials, business leaders and international representatives to discuss the best online practices for promoting the use of modern technologies and techniques in education. It will also highlight the latest and best strategies for integrating advanced technologies into the learning setting to promote educational efficiency. This will help achieve sustainable e-learning excellence in line with the directives of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai,” he added.
The e-Learning Excellence Conference will include two discussion panels on “Cloud Campus/Social Online Learning” and “Benchmarking Best Practices in Technology-Enhanced Education.” It will also feature a series of workshops on key topics such as “Quality in e-Learning”, “GCC e-Learning Initiative”, “UNESCO Project on ICT in Primary Education” and “Publishers Material Integration.”
HBMeU has received several research papers on subjects related to e-learning for inclusion in the conference. They cover Teaching, Design and Quality; Quality Frameworks for Online Institutions; Social Online Learning; Cultural Integration of Open Educational Resources (OERs); and Educational Leadership and Technological Innovation, among others. The papers will be reviewed by an international technical committee in compliance with highest standards of transparency and objectivity, with the best submission to be included in the Conference Proceedings.
Distinguished participating entries at the 6th Conference on e-Learning Excellence in the Middle East will be nominated for the ‘Best Paper’ Award and will be published in one of HBMeU’s refereed journals. 


Posted on

HBMeU Organizes International e-Lecture on Universality of Arabic Language

In support of ‘Bel Arabi’ initiative & to commemorate World Arabic Language Day
Dubai, UAE, December 18th, 2013 – In response to Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation ‘Bel Arabi’  initiative for reviving the role of Arabic as a universal language, Hamdan Bin Mohammed e-University (HBMeU) has organized an e-Lecture in the presence of faculty and staff of different nationalities in addition to several international educational institutions via a live ‘webinar’ broadcast. The international lecture comes in conjunction with the celebration of World Arabic Language Day today (Wednesday, December 18, 2013) in a move to restore the soul of the Arabic language which has long been an important channel for enriching intellectual, humanitarian and cultural heritage.
Dr. Talal Mohammed Al Darweesh, Head of HBMeU’s Centre for Arabization and Program Integrity (CAPI), delivered the lecture. He discussed the universality of Arabic language and its importance in terms of aesthetics, style, and powerful expression, as well as its literary and practical influence on the cultural renaissance. He also pointed to the remarkable global cultural contribution of the Arabic language, which forms part of the national identity of more than 400 million people around the world.
Dr. Al Darwish cited examples of the direct impact of the Arabic language in Europe and the world in terms of the development of science and literature as well as European and non-European languages starting from the fifth century onwards. He revealed the important facets and details of the language, referred to foreign quotes taken from Arabic, and talked about the impact of other existing languages on Arabic. 
Dr. Al Darwish added that the e-Lecture aims to highlight the importance of the Arabic language and its vital role in the development of education and scientific research. He noted that HBMeU is committed to leveraging the language as a tool for education and for enriching the Arabic library with major Arabized researches, studies and books via Centre for Arabization and Program Integrity. The CAPI program aims to spread modern knowledge and facilitate the learning of Arabic in line with modern developments under H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai vision of effecting real change in education as a key element of ‘UAE Vision 2021.’
For his part, Dr. Mansoor Al Awar, Chancellor of HBMeU, explained how the importance of the Arabic language lies in its status as an authentic and vibrant language that copes with the present and the future. Al Awar pointed out that supporting the ‘Bel Arabi’ initiative is part of tireless efforts to promote the use of the language as an essential tool in education, scientific research, and the virtual world. He also stated that HBMeU has always been a model of embodying the aspirations of the wise leadership to guide the Arabic language away from traditional patterns which have had major influences in turning the new generation turning away from the mother language and abandoning the works of the Arabic minds works.
“HBMeU, through its Centre for Arabization and Program Integrity , is committed to maintain and protect the Arabic language as a reflection of our national identity. We aim to uphold the valuable contribution of the language in enriching global intellectual, scientific and humanitarian movements. We will continue to work hard in order to enhance the role of our language in supporting scientific research, an essential driver of human knowledge, and to strengthen its presence within regional and global scientific and knowledge forums in order to embody the ambitious aspirations of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed to make the UAE a global center of excellence in the Arabic language,” concluded Al Awar.


Posted on

Hamdan Bin Mohammed e-University launches flagship Ph.D. program commencing in fall 2013

HBMeU offers UAE’s first-ever Ph.D. programs in Quality Management, Educational Leadership and Healthcare Management
January 14, 2013
Hamdan Bin Mohammed e-University (HBMeU) has announced the launch of its flagship Ph.D. program in its e-School of Business and Quality Management, e-School of Health and Environmental Studies and School of e-Learning. The Ph.D. program is being offered for the first time in the UAE and the Arab world in three key areas of learning (Total Quality Management, Educational Leadership and Healthcare Management) following a comprehensive study that aimed to identify the specific needs of the Arab job market. HBMeU’s new doctoral studies have been approved by the Commission for Academic Accreditation, Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, given its strategic relevance in the context of the socioeconomic development of the UAE and Arab world at large. The program will be offered starting in the fall semester of 2013.

Dr. Mansoor Al Awar, Chancellor
In line with HBMeU’s commitment to uphold quality and excellence in its Ph.D. program, an international advisory board has also been formed that includes internationally acclaimed scholars and practitioners. HBMeU has benchmarked the Ph.D. program against some of the best in the world by forming a global consortium of eminent institutions of higher learning, which is another historic initiative and one of the unique strengths of HBMeU’s Ph.D. program. The consortium ensures that HBMeU’s Ph.D. scholars gain access to vast experiences and expertise available through the partners’ of the consortium. Renowned professors from the consortium partners will teach courses as associate faculty and co-supervise projects and dissertations in the Ph.D. program.
Dr. Mansoor Al Awar, Chancellor, said: “The Ph.D. program model crafted by HBMeU is based on best practices in Europe, Asia and North America. The launch of this program, which is also part of HBMeU’s 10th anniversary celebrations, has been especially developed in response to the research needs of the UAE and the Arab world at large. These programs likewise take advantage of the specialized capabilities and experience of HBMeU in e-learning, which serves as one of the foundations of our teaching paradigm. The launch of HBMeU’s new Ph.D. program reaffirms our commitment to inculcate innovation and relevance in its academic and professional programs. Moreover, we are confident that these programs will reinforce the status of HBMeU as one of the region’s premier institutions for academic excellence and the leading advocate of e-learning in the Arab world.”
HBMeU has already established fruitful partnerships with several well-known institutions such as the University of Bradford, UK; University of South Africa, U21 Global, University of Maryland University College, USA; European Foundation for Total Quality Management (EFQM), Brussels; British Quality Foundation (BQF), International Academy for Quality (IAQ) and the European Universities Network for TQM (EUN-TQM), among others, to enrich its academic and professional programs. Consolidating these partnerships under the global consortium will ensure that HBMeU’s Ph.D. program will achieve great heights in terms of academic rigor and quality and effectively serve the research needs of the Arab World.  
In their first two years, HBMeU’s Ph.D. candidates will take coursework to acquire the knowledge and research skills they need to complete a dissertation in their area of choice. Candidates must sit for a qualifying examination to test the knowledge and skills they have acquired during their coursework in order to move on to the dissertation stage. After passing the qualifying examination, Ph.D. candidates will write a dissertation under the supervision of two eminent professors, including a co-supervisor from HBMeU’s consortium partners. This arrangement would ensure that the highest quality standards in research are observed by the doctoral scholars at HBMeU.
HBMeU further announced that applications for the Ph.D. program will be accepted from January to July 2013. Candidates must have a Master’s degree in any relevant discipline at a university recognized by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, UAE. HBMeU’s full-time Ph.D. program is for a minimum period of three years and a maximum period of five years. Its part-time Ph.D. program is for a minimum period of four years and a maximum period of six years.
– Ends –
For more information, please contact:
Orient Planet PR & Marketing Communications
P.O. Box: 500266
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Tel:  00971 4 456 2888
Fax: 00971 4 454 9528
Email: media@orientplanet.com


Posted on

GETEX Autumn 2012 to open on November 21st, 2012

GETEX Autumn 2012 to open on November 21st featuring over 400 study programs for students & working professionals
Dubai, UAE, November 21st, 2012 – The region’s leading forum on education and training, GETEX, will return this Autumn with regional as well as international institutes showcasing the widest range of top-quality academic, vocational and training programs for students as well as working professionals. More than 50 exhibitors will show at GETEX Autumn 2012, which will run from November 21 to 23 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, featuring diverse levels of higher education and professional development, a global business school fair segment and several exclusive presentations of interest to learners looking to pursue further education and training.
Exhibitors will include top universities from the UAE, Australia, USA, India and Switzerland along with a strong participation from UK-based universities this year. In meeting with the increasing demand for higher education options in the UAE and GCC, GETEX Autumn 2012 is suitably timed to allow students to register for courses starting in early 2013.

Anselm Godinho, Managing Director, International Conferences and Exhibitions (IC&E), organizer of the event, said: “The participation of renowned academic institutions from all over the world remains the main attraction of GETEX Autumn. As such, students, parents and industry professionals attending GETEX Autumn 2012 are sure to find suitable educational and professional development programs that match their specific needs and preferences. Moreover, we have also prepared extensively for the specialized segments of the show such as the Global Business School Fair which further reaffirm GETEX as the premier networking platform for the region’s education sector.”
Organised under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Higher Education, this edition of GETEX Autumn will see the launch of the Global Business School Fair, which provides an opportunity for MBA schools from all over the world to meet with potential UAE-based postgraduate students.


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

HBMeU Board of Governors underlines value of Dubai Crown Prince initiative to launch academic scholarship in his name

Board of Governors calls for better understanding of its academic programs
July 10, 2012
Hamdan Bin Mohammed e-University (HBMeU), a leader in the field of e-Learning and quality management in the Arab World, has recently concluded the fourth meeting of its Board of Governors for the academic year 2011-2012, touching on various matters such as the adoption of the previous meeting’s proceedings.

The Board of Governors of Hamdan Bin Mohammed e-University, has expressed its gratitude to H.H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and President of HBMeU, for launching an academic scholarship in his name. The scholarships will be awarded to 20 excelling high school students in the UAE who may pursue any undergraduate program at HBMeU. The members of the Board emphasized the importance of the generous initiative in enhancing the position of the university as a pioneer in e-learning and as the premier academic choice in the UAE and the Arab world. Recipients of the new academic scholarship will be chosen based on their GPA and their academic performance in high school.

H.E. Lieutenant General Dahi Khalfan Tamim, Dubai Police Chief and Chairman of the HBMeU Board of Governors, expressed his sincere gratitude and appreciation to H.H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum for launching the academic scholarship, which supports the aspirations of the University’s Board of Governors to consolidate the role of the university in shaping the future of education, and contributing to professional and human development, based on best practices adopted in the field of e-learning and distance learning. His Excellency also lauded the university for its pioneering position through the continued support of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan, in his belief in the need to achieve excellence in education and to make the young generation ideally qualified to be competitive in the global job market, and ultimately nurture a generation that is able to continue to lay the foundations of growth and development, and contribute to the UAE’s overall progress.
In response to the last meeting’s directives of the HBMeU Board of Governors to promote better understanding of the University’s programs by intensifying field visits to public and private institutions across the country, the University presented an elaborate report on the visits and the response they have generated from government departments and private institutions in Dubai.
The Board of Governors has further called for a better demonstration and promotion of the University’s academic programs in Arab countries to spread the University’s message on a much larger scale. It also recommended conducting four meetings throughout the entire academic year to support the University’s focus on excellence.
HBMeU is the first e-learning institute in the Arab World that was established with the vision to develop a new learning process through the implementation of learning practices characterised by flexibility, quality and diversity to strengthen self-leadership among learners and prepare them socially and academically for a future career through integration in the job market. HBMeU’s philosophy is based on vital methods that have been developed through extensive research and development by specialists from all over the world. These methods include offering high quality programs, supporting the pursuit of lifelong learning, promoting the freedom of information, reinforcing the culture of excellence and innovation and providing education for everyone in line with the highest standards of comprehensiveness and credibility. The university, which is accredited by the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, seeks to constantly identify knowledge needs, support research and development programs and create an outstanding environment for e-learning.


Posted on

HBMeU to raise awareness about its programs in UAE and across the region

HBMeU visits schools, educational exhibitions, school events in UAE, Jordan, Oman
May 13, 2012
Hamdan Bin Mohammed e-University (HBMeU), a leader in the field of e-Learning and quality management in the Arab World, has started to receive primary and secondary education students in its premises and has conducting field visits to other schools and educational events in the UAE, Jordan and Oman, in line with the directives of the university’s Board of Governors to create greater awareness about HBMeU and its programs among private and government sectors in the UAE and across the region.
The program also complements the university’s learner recruitment program, and is also designed to introduce the concept of e-learning and the flexibility it offers for learners to pursue other areas of interest while finishing their academic studies.
The visits are held in cooperation with the UAE Ministry of Education, educational districts and the Knowledge and Human Development Authority in Dubai. The university has hosted a number of delegations from different schools such as Omar bin Al Khattab Model School, Al Yahr Secondary School, Sharjah Model School Boys, Al Bayan Boys School, Al Laseeli School, Humaid Bin Abdulaziz Boys School, Sir Bani Yas Boys School, Muzaira’a Girls School, Islamic Institute – Boys School Dubai, School of Modern Skills Private Dubai – Boys, School of Modern Skills Private Dubai – Girls, and Um Al Momeneen Girls School.
As part of the program, HBMeU has also visited educational exhibitions in different countries, including GETEX in Dubai, Global Higher Education Exhibition in Oman, and the 16th Annual Jordan Education and Training Exhibition in Amman, Jordan.
The university has also attended more than a dozen school exhibitions organized by various schools across the UAE such as Al Nahda Schools in Abu Dhabi, School of Modern Skills in Dubai, and the Ras Al Khaimah, Al Ain, Dubai and Fujairah Campuses of Applied Technology Institute, among others.
Through such visits and participations, HBMeU aims to raise awareness among schools and students about its programs, the scientific researches it conducts, the training courses it organises, and its educational and informative services that are based on the principle of providing education anytime, anywhere. HBMeU is also keen on highlighting its learning environment that leverages the power of information and communications technology (ICT).      
Dr. Mansoor Al Awar, Chancellor of Hamdan Bin Mohammed e-University, said: “This program emphasizes the university’s commitment to apply the directives of the Board of Governors which aim to raise awareness about the university and its academic programs. These visits are an ideal way to introduce an unconventional educational environment offered by the university, based on the use of ICT in education and training. It also reaffirms the quality of HBMeU’s academic programs that comply with the highest international standards, which contribute towards building a generation of qualified young people with a high level of competency, experience and competitiveness.”
“The program is the result of the fruitful cooperation between HBMeU and the UAE Ministry of Education in cultivating a culture of excellence and quality among the education and academic community,” he added.  
HBMeU is the first e-learning institute in the Arab World that was established with the vision to develop a new learning process through the implementation of learning practices characterised by flexibility, quality and diversity to strengthen self-leadership among learners and prepare them socially and academically for a future career through integration in the job market. HBMeU’s philosophy is based on vital methods that have been developed through extensive research and development by specialists from all over the world. These methods include offering high quality programs, supporting the pursuit of lifelong learning, promoting the freedom of information, reinforcing the culture of excellence and innovation and providing education for everyone in line with the highest standards of comprehensiveness and credibility. The university, which is accredited by the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, seeks to constantly identify knowledge needs, support research and development programs and create an outstanding environment for e-learning.
-Ends-