Nokia showcases innovations for Saudi Arabian students at IEFE 2013

Nokia's participation comes as part of the Saudi Government's collaboration with the Government of Finland as the partner country for this year's event.

Mandar Bhide, General Manager of Nokia Saudi Arabia and Yemen, said, "This is a great opportunity for Nokia to participate as the leading Finnish electronics and solutions provider and be part of Saudi Arabia's most influential and important educational event. We were delighted by the invitation received from Dr. Naif Hashal Alromi, the Saudi Deputy Minister of Education during his visit to our headquarters in Finland in September 2012."

"Smart phones have become an essential part of our daily lives. A report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) shows Saudi Arabia has the highest number of mobile phone users worldwide. It also revealed that there are 180 mobile phones for every 100 residents in Saudi Arabia, and that the usage of mobile phones is on the rise among teenagers and younger children [1]. New technologies are spreading at a fast rate and in particular mobile technologies have found new uses in supporting learning and delivery of content for learners. Nokia's new smart phones - the Lumia series - offer users a wide range of integrated and third party solutions that allow users to achieve the best results in their day to day activities," he concluded.

Dr Naif Hashal Alromi, from the Saudi Ministry of Education said, "In our continuous efforts to develop and upgrade education in Saudi Arabia, it has become very important for us to consider technology trends our students are following these days. Nokia sets a great example for technology companies; being of Finnish roots and a trusted brand among Saudi Arabian consumers. Over the last years, IEFE has witnessed the meeting of many leading names, companies and institutions, and this year is no exception."

During the IEFE 2013 week Nokia showcased learning solutions such as Nokia Mobile Mathematics and launched a plan to introduce a mobile testing laboratory in connection with the Microsoft Innovation Center in Riyadh.

"Nokia Mobile Mathematics is a cloud-based learning solution, which demonstrates how mathematics education can be improved by providing access to high quality content and services that stimulate learning as well asd supports teachers in evaluating student performance. The solution includes close to 10.000 exercises for secondary school learners and features such as peer-to-peer support and performance score-cards, which motivate learners to overcome challenges," said Jussi Hinkkanen, Vice President for Corporate Relations, Nokia Middle East and Africa.

Mr. Hinkkanen continued, "Also supporting Saudi Arabian content and mobile application industry is important for ensuring delivery of culturally and contextually relevant services for the Saudi Arabian consumers. This will further advance the birth of a new industry and ensure building of highly relevant skills for the competitive landscape of the 21st century. Nokia believes passionately that mobile enabled content and services will improve quality and reach of the education system as well as to protect the richness of the Saudi Arabian culture."

Nokia's new global strategy introduced a partnership with Microsoft to launch Windows Phone operating system based Nokia Lumia smart phones. This partnership made it possible for many users to benefit and enjoy the wide range of productivity tools offered by Microsoft with increased mobility and a set of Nokia specific innovations such as Nokia Drive and Maps.

In addition to these exciting solutions and conscious of the local demographics, Nokia will showcase a number of learning and content related solutions for Saudi Arabian consumers published in partnership with local solution providers.

"Saudi Arabia is a strategic market for Nokia. With mobile users increasing by the second, the Saudi market offers strong opportunities and demonstrates strong demand for the latest technological innovations," said Mandar Bhide.

Nokia recently launched its new affordable smart phone with Windows 8 Operating system - the Lumia 620. Market perception of the new phone has stirred a positive feedback among Nokia fans. The new array of Nokia smart phones are tailored to meet the needs of users with the high standards Nokia is known for.