UAE MOHESR selects SunGard Higher Education to create new national data warehouse

Specifically designed for higher education, the new data warehouse will facilitate a single source of data access across higher education authorities and institutions in the UAE. It will also provide data integrity, security and accuracy as well as help policy makers in strategic planning.

Subha Al Shamisi, Executive Director for Higher Education and Scientific Research Affairs, stated, "A highly skilled workforce is essential for the social and economic future of the UAE, and we must ensure a quality education for the next generation of Emiratis so they can lead the nation forward. We therefore sought an IT partner with knowledge and expertise in higher education to help us build our higher education to world class standards, and SunGard Higher Education has the reputation for delivering the best solutions."

With over a third of the UAE population under the age of fifteen, there is a reinforced strategic focus on education. Government authorities are looking to technology to help them plan and make decisions that will achieve better quality and access to higher education in the UAE.

The first stage deployment of the project was completed in November 2008; when implemented, the national data warehouse will combine data from the three federal institutions of higher education: UAE University, Zayed University and the Higher Colleges of Technology - all of which use SunGard Higher Education software solutions to help run their campuses. Among other federal and non-federal organizations that will include data in the national data warehouse are the Commission for Academic Accreditation, the National Admissions and Placement Office, the Scholarship and Cultural Foreign Relations Department, and the Academic Equivalency Department.

Mathew Boice, General Manager, Middle East, SunGard Higher Education, said:

"This project with MOHESR further reinforces our long-term commitment to supporting the region's higher education vision."

"The way data is organized and used is crucial for successful reporting, strategic planning and decision making. The Banner Performance Reporting and Analytics solutions from SunGard Higher Education will deliver one comprehensive environment to help support the use of data by all stakeholders in the UAE higher education space," Mr. Boice added.

The UAE federal government recently reaffirmed its commitment to education with an allocation of Dhs7.4bn to the sector for 2009. It is anticipated that a portion of these funds will be allocated to IT infrastructures to help drive further excellence and opportunity in the delivery of quality education for the next generation of Emiratis.