SAS launches solutions to boost development of UAE education sector

The unveiling of the technology-driven learning technologies is aimed at strengthening the UAE Government's efforts to advance the country's academic system, which was recently granted Dhs9.7bn for the development of general and higher education - the largest allocation in the UAE's 2008 budget.

Specifically, SAS' premiere solutions will promote creativity and innovation in learning environments for high school students, as well as support the institutional effectiveness of colleges and universities.

Intended for 8th to 12th grade students, 'SAS Curriculum Pathways' is an award-winning Web-based educational product that provides content in English, Mathematics, Social Studies, Science and Spanish for students and teachers in any learning environment, including traditional classrooms, virtual schools, home education and one-to-one learning.

On the other hand, 'SAS Enterprise Intelligence Suite for Education' is a comprehensive solution for colleges and universities, which consolidates planning or historical information on demand, thereby ensuring that current, consistent and reliable information is always available for decision makers.

"SAS understands that accurate, complete and easily accessible data improves the effectiveness of higher education because it can be used to improve student learning as well as bolster overall school or institutional performance," said Bill Hoggarth, Regional CEO, Africa Middle East, SAS.

"The launch of these two new solutions, which we have meticulously designed to meet the needs of the growing education sector, is in line with our goals to provide unparalleled support for regional government's education-centred initiatives. Through our extensive investments in research and product development, SAS is fully-equipped to supply the technology and services the academic sector needs to achieve their objectives and organisational goals, and thereby make a difference in students' lives."

In addition to the education sector, SAS is also entrenching its role within various important verticals, with SAS skills becoming highly sought-after by global and regional companies, governments and organisations.

SAS-proficient individuals are in-demand within the regional oil and gas, telecom, financial services and pharmaceutical industries, with many businesses identifying the advantages of using SAS solutions to analyse huge amounts of data for research and development, marketing, fraud detection and clinical trials purposes.

Students who graduate high school with SAS knowledge carry a distinct advantage into post-secondary education, as SAS is being used in many college courses requiring quantitative analysis, such as psychology, statistics, mathematics, business and public health.

"By introducing an interactive vehicle that can significantly make learning more convenient, enjoyable and exciting for students, we are hoping to make a substantial impact on their consciousness and motivate them to further their careers in the STEM areas - Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. We are fully committed to integrating technology into all levels of education, and we are looking forward to implementing our latest solutions for the education sector across the UAE and the entire region," concluded Hoggarth.

SAS is committed to integrating technology into all levels of education and to helping prepare children for life in the 21st century. The state-of-the-art learning software is a major proponent of technology-driven operational intelligence and knowledge creation, equipping students with the skills required in their future venture into the private and public sectors.

SAS have recently partnered with Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University (PMU), King Saud University in Saudi Arabia and other educational institutions in the Middle East, to best meet their teaching, learning, research and administrative needs.