Al Falak and business partner SAS sign agreement with Prince Mohammad University to deploy SAS learning technology

Al Falak Electronic Equipment & Supplies Co. is a leading IT and communications solutions provider in Saudi Arabia, and its local partner SAS, a leading business intelligence and analytics software developer.

Under the terms of the agreement, Al Falak, the sole distributor of SAS software in Saudi Arabia since 1982, will assist in delivering SAS software and infrastructure and provide post-implementation services and knowledge transfer to ensure that the technology is maximized by PMU.

The agreement, co-signed by Al Falak President and CEO Ahmed Ashadawi, SAS Africa and Middle East Regional CEO Bill Hoggarth, and PMU Rector Dr. Issa Al Ansari, aims to enhance student understanding of business intelligence and analytical concepts by providing hands-on experience with actual automated tools used in various industries. SAS systems are currently installed in 2,000 educational institutions in 109 countries and are helping mold the business and decision making skills of the region's future leaders.

Ahmed Ashadawi, commented: "Our partner SAS has vast experience in successfully integrating technology into academic programs and will thus contribute significantly to exposing students to the use of the state of the art technologies in their curriculum and make them market ready. The system we will implement has the potential to significantly enhance the learning curve and career opportunities of both students and educators. We will thus maximize our extensive knowledge and experience to provide the appropriate end-to-end solutions to make the PMU system a model of knowledge transfer in the country and in the region."

"We tapped our 32 years of solid experience in business intelligence and predictive analytics solutions to create a specialized system that would provide the perfect learning platform for students of the Al Khobar campus. The industry-standard analytical tools we have deployed will definitely help students manipulate data into valuable decision-making material and thus expedite their acquisition of crucial management skills," added Bill Hoggarth, Africa and Middle East Regional CEO, SAS.

"Higher educational institutions in Saudi Arabia and the entire Arab World face increasing pressure to produce students who have sufficient real-world training to meet strict industry demand for technological skills and business competence. We thus need to use the latest methods and technologies to ensure that the new generation of Saudi nationals is fully prepared to assume key positions in both the public and private sectors and make critical decisions. The SAS system to be implemented by ALFalak will help us mold our students as knowledge workers contributing to the development and growth of the Kingdom," concluded Dr. Al Ansari.

Al Falak has been ranked by Arab News as one of the top 100 companies in Saudi Arabia for the past 4 years due to its extensive experience and operations throughout the Middle East. The company focuses on providing complete end-to-end IT and communications solutions in partnership with leading global brands such as HP, 3M, Alcatel, Oracle, Imation, Genius, Compuware, and SAS.