Knowledge Village and British Council sign MoU

The MoU was signed by Dr. Abdulla Al Karam, Director of Knowledge Village and Tim Gore, Director of the British Council, Dubai and Northern Emirates, on behalf of the British Council regional headquarters for the Gulf states and Yemen, based in Abu Dhabi.

Under the agreement, the British Council will base a 'Knowledge and Learning Centre' in Knowledge Village, that will facilitate access to online resources in management, English language, culture and education, and provide information about UK education and educational qualifications. The co-operation will cover E-Learning, research and innovation, UK educational links, public seminars and professional development.

Speaking at the signing ceremony at Dubai Internet City, Ahmad Bin Byat, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Internet City said: "Knowledge Village is our latest initiative aimed at developing Dubai into a global hub for excellence in learning, innovation and entrepreneurship. It also represents a major step towards fulfilling the UAE's goal of becoming a knowledge society. The agreement we signed today is part of Knowledge Village's objectives of building partnerships with high quality, professional learning service providers. Partnering with organisations like British Council will help us realise our mission of building a vibrant learning community in Knowledge Village."

"One of Knowledge Village's key focuses is the development of local talent, which is emerging as the most important source of competitive advantage in the knowledge economy," said Abdulla Al Karam, Director of Knowledge Village. "Knowledge Village seeks to bridge the talent gap in the region by facilitating world class education and training opportunities for students and professionals. We are keen to establish and facilitate linkages in the region that will make this possible. Our MoU with the British Council represents the kind of partnership that will help us develop the pool of homegrown talent in the region," he added.

Simon Collis, British Consul General in Dubai, added: " The UK is uniquely positioned to combine creativity and technology with a tradition of excellence in education. The British Council brings together the resources of a global education organisation with extensive experience of working in the UAE. I thank Knowledge Village for selecting the British Council as one of their partners in this exciting learning initiative."

Memorandum of Understanding

The content of the MoU covers the following areas:

Knowledge and Learning Centre - The British Council will base a Knowledge and Learning Centre in Knowledge Village. This centre will provide access to free and subscription databases and facilities for online resources in management, English language, culture and education. It will also provide information about UK education and qualifications.

E-Learning - Knowledge Village and the British Council have a mutual commitment to support and promote E-Learning programmes and initiatives in the region. The British Council will provide access to E-Learning resources in the UK.

Research and innovation - the Knowledge Village and the British Council will facilitate research and innovation projects in information and communication technology (ICT), management, education and related areas.

UK educational links - the British Council will facilitate exchanges and links between UK universities and educational institutions, and Knowledge Village.

Public Seminars - the Knowledge Village and the British Council will provide a series of public seminars aimed at increasing knowledge and interaction in key areas. Examples of seminars include applications of virtual reality, new technologies in education, new approaches to education and E-Learning

Professional development - the British Council will provide a series of professional development programmes for staff and clients of the Dubai Technology, E-Commerce and Media Free Zone. Programmes will cover effective use of e-mails, presentation skills, creative problem solving and business communication skills

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