Etisalat Academy pioneers 'EasyLearning' in the Middle East

An agreement was signed for the distribution of this service in the UAE, and the Middle East and North Africa under the patronage of HH Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education, and Mohammad Hassan Omran, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Telecommunications Corporation- Etisalat. The Academy was awarded sole representation for the regional countries of this initiative, under the sponsorship of UN-G77, which works for the development and qualification of professional candidates in more than 134 countries.

The courses in this initiative were finalized after extensive research of the full market in the domains of Administration, Software Programming, Information Technology, e-Government, Accounting, Finance, Marketing, Customer Service, project administration, sales and inventory, Human Resources and also IT courses from Oracle, Cisco, and full collection of Microsoft, Lotus Notes courses and others. There is a large collection of courses in Arabic that will soon be available. Points of sale include all Business Centers of Etisalat, Etisalat Academy and all institutes and campuses of the United Arab Emirates University. It will also be available at large educational corporations and organizations, and public and private companies in the region, Middle East and North Africa.

Ahmad Bin Ali, Manager of Corporate Communications Etisalat, said:

'Adopting this one of a kind initiative reflects Etisalat's dynamic role in the society along with it's concern for developing the knowledge mechanisms that assist in developing the human capital within the UAE.' He praised the continuous cooperation that lasted over the past years with the United Arab Emirates University through various technical and social initiatives.'

On the importance of this initiative, Dr. Doaa Fares, General Manager, Etisalat Academy, said: ' This initiative is internationally recognized, and expresses the position that the Academy enjoys at the international and regional level. We strive to contribute to the development and qualification of candidates in private and governmental Corporations, both regionally and internationally. This programme aims to close the gap between the requirements of the labor market with the different educational institutes and training companies.'

'These courses do not substitute the traditional courses taught in classrooms, but as it is less expensive, it allows for personal qualification to be achieved at any time, anywhere, and at any pace. This approach supports the rapid increase in the size and quality of information that is required for the digital age, so it negates the need for daily or weekly classes.'

Dr. Abdullah Al Khanbashi, Vice Chancellor of United Arab Emirates University, praised the special position that Etisalat Academy enjoys and its vocational reputation. He highlighted the advanced equipment provided by Etisalat to establish this initiative, which is considered the only scheme in the region that aims at developing professional candidates from different specializations during their careers.

Additionally, the program aims at rehabilitating graduates from different levels while providing them with the required skills to enhance the efficiency of the performance, and to help them strike a balance between academic theory and the professional applications that they need.

Assim Al Ali, Manager of the EasyLearning Unit, said 'The Academy's choice to adopt the EasyLearning project reflects its high educational capability. The UN-G77 has adopted this initiative to support and develop the electronic educational environment within the region, and the first bouquet of educational and training program has been finalized. It includes around 600 training courses and many other internationally certified degrees that cover a wide range of administrative and technical sciences. These programs were designed with a special focus on direct education, wherein the number of courses increases and its content is constantly updated by one of the leading Canadian institutes specialized in the industrial sector.'

The courses, which have taken market requirements and career development techniques into consideration, were designed for college and university graduates. These courses are unique due to its advanced and flexible nature, as they can be downloaded onto the user's personal computer and be saved for a period of three months; thus avoiding any Internet connection problems that may arise.

The Academy is considered the exclusive regional representative of various well-established international authorities from the United States of America and Europe. In addition, it is the first regional center in the Middle East that examines and certifies IT Security engineers and experts, who have received their diplomas from the Information Society Commission (ISC). The Academy conducts two exams per year for specialists from Eastern Europe, Middle East and the Gulf region.