Qatar University presents its it-driven success story at Sungard Higher Education User Group Conference

The event - SunGard Higher Education Middle East User Group Conference (SMEUG), attracted leaders from over 40 universities and colleges, government education ministries, SunGard Higher Education executives and IT professionals from 22 countries.

The conference themed 'Performance Matters' was hosted at the Atlantis Hotel in Dubai, with sponsorship from IT companies such as Scientia, Sun Microsystems, International Turnkey Systems, Oracle, SciQuest, TouchNet, Residential Management Systems and UC4. Participants from the Middle East, Africa, Europe and the US had the opportunity to network, exchange ideas, share best practices, and explore the latest developments in attaining a Unified Digital Campus.

Dr. Omar Al Ansari, vice president, student affairs, Qatar University, commented:

"We at Qatar University are delighted to be able to share with other conference participants, the positive changes we have experienced since adopting the concept of a Unified Digital Campus from SunGard Higher Education. Conversely, we are leveraging this User Group Conference to acquire deeper insight and best practices with regards to new technologies and trends in higher education."

Keynote speakers from the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain and the U.S. are providing critical sessions to explore the theme of the conference and are complemented by the many presentations and case studies from institutions already using SunGard Higher Education solutions. The conference also features demonstrations and discussion on solutions from the event sponsors.

"The venue for this conference says a lot about what can be achieved in this region. Educational progress may be less visible than iconic real estate developments in the area; however, this conference attests to the fact that projects in education across the region are achieving remarkable goals," said Mathew Boice, general manager, Middle East and Europe, SunGard Higher Education.

"Student outcomes and institutional performance are of paramount importance to regional governments and we are seeing this user community tackle huge challenges for improved quality and access to Higher Education," Mr. Boice added.

User groups are vital communities in the sharing of expertise and the ongoing development of SunGard Higher Education solutions. The Middle East User Group was established through an initial meeting in Beirut, Lebanon in December 2001; last year, more than 300 stakeholders attended the conference.