e-TQM College to launch the first e-learning based Masters program in the Middle East Two-year program for bachelor degree holders to begin in January 2004
Dubai -November 10, 2003
e-TQM College, the Dubai-based institution specialising in conducting online programs in total quality management, is launching a Masters program in Total Quality and Performance Management. The program is the first of its kind in the Middle East, in conjunction with Bradford School of Management and the European Centre for Total Quality Management (ECTQM).
The new program, Masters of Science in Total Quality and Performance Management, has been designed to teach learners how TQM thinking can be embedded into business planning and operation management through process orientation and a focus on customer satisfaction. The MSc learning journey will incorporate books, CDs and on-line discussion as part of the program support. Admission is open to holders of a Bachelor Degree or equivalent.
"The Masters in Total Quality and Performance Management will allow us to bring the highest TQM standards to the learning community in the Arab World. The program has been meticulously compiled to expose the learners to the latest concepts and developments in TQM and provide them with expertise in integrated performance management," said Professor Mohammed Zairi, Dean of e-TQM College. "The course demonstrates how TQM can drive performance and how the learner can manage this in an integrated way through goal deployment on the one hand, and performance monitoring, review and reporting on the other. The program combines applications with case studies to help put the theory into practice."
The learner can complete the program during a two-year term. The program is 180 credit hours where the learner will study six compulsory courses, six elective courses out of ten, and a dissertation of between 19,500 and 22,500 words must be submitted at the graduation intake. The dissertation will be an original, in depth investigation carried out either through desk-based research or through applied research within an organization.
The program is currently offered in English language and it will be available in Arabic at a later date. For applicants who would like to enhance their English language to fulfill the entrance requirement, e-TQM College works closely with ELS (English Language Services), an in-class English language course widely available at various centers throughout the Middle East region.
The e-TQM College will adopt the "carousel" model, a continuous rotating academic strategy that allows learners to enter at any point and follow a designated route having multiple completion points, thus making the academic period non-stop all year round. The model divides the academic year into four intakes. In each intake, the learner can take up to two courses (20 credit hours) and attend two intensive sessions in Dubai during summer (fourth intake), at the end of the first academic year.
"The new program takes e-TQM College closer to its mission of becoming the college of choice in the Arab World for Total Quality Management by providing managers, in the public and private sectors, an opportunity to advance their careers by developing intensive customised modules," said Dr. Mansoor Al Awar, Director of e-TQM College. "We have already proved the efficacy of our unique online learning model by conducting successfully a number of TQM courses in various fields for the public and private sectors. We are uniquely placed to help people in constantly updating their knowledge and skills through e-learning, in order to allow them to gain a competitive edge and deliver top performance in their area of activity."
A pre-registration form and an outline of the Masters program is available on the e-TQM College website, www.etqm.net. Additional information or mailing list enquiries can be obtained by emailing etqm@etqm.net.
e-TQM College is a Dubai-based institution that has pioneered e-learning in the Middle East by launching world-class online courses in Total Quality Management. The College was established in January 2002, and inaugurated on September 2002 by General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Defence Minister, with the aim of enhancing expertise to provide world-class e-learning programs to the community as well as the private and public sector employees. It is owned by Dubai Government and operates under the umbrella of Dubai Police.
The college is the first of its kind in the world. It has been affiliated as a member of the EFQM, a leading European body for quality management, and has been accepted as a key member of the British Quality Foundation. It aims to be the college of choice for Total Quality Management in the Arab world.e-TQM College provides e-learning programs to private and public sector employees as well as members of the public. Courses include Foundation (keralamonitor.com)
Dubai eGovernment and Zayed University sign MOU
for enhanced cooperationThe new move entails partnership in research and benchmarking and creating content for e-learning programs
November 08, 2003 Dubai eGovernment and Zayed University have entered into a strategic partnership to enhance mutual cooperation in raising standards of research and benchmarking and to create content for e-learning programs.
The two sides recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that marks the start of a long-standing collaboration. The MOU was signed by Salem Al Shair, eServices Director, Dubai eGovernment and Dr. Hanif Al Qassimi, Vice President, Zayed University.
Under the new partnership, Dubai eGovernment will create opportunities for Zayed University female students and faculties to work on real results-oriented research and benchmarking projects, under joint supervision, as well as offer internship programs for the university's female students.
"The evolving developments in the academic field and in the delivery of education itself have put immense pressure on universities and colleges, as they have to constantly monitor and adopt advanced systems and models in order to stay competitive. Zayed University, as the UAE's leading education institution, has been rendering a unique service to the UAE national community. Under the new partnership, Zayed University is laying the foundation for enhanced services to the student community, by leveraging advanced systems and platforms of Dubai eGovernment."
"We foresee strong collaboration in the area of e-learning, one of the pillars of Dubai eGovernment's strategy for creating an IT competent society," added Al Shair. "Already, our e4all' community IT education project has become a huge success. Furthermore, we have recently launched two IT certification programs, the 'eCitizen' and the 'eEmployee', aimed at increasing computer and Internet literacy among government employees and citizens of Dubai. We are confident that our collaboration with Zayed University will help us create enhanced solutions for e-learning programs that will not only help the university's students but the entire community as well."
"The UAE's goal of becoming the region's knowledge hub is best represented by Dubai eGovernment, a frontline project that has created benchmarking standards," said Dr. Al Qassimi. "Zayed University could not have found a more ideal partner to collaborate with, in its mission to add a further technological project to its education system thereby allowing our students to experience Dubai eGovernment's operations first hand. The partnership is set to consolidate Zayed University's status in the region's academic circles."
The MOU lists a number of additional concrete proposals for enhanced mutual cooperation between the two sides. Zayed University will dedicate students to work on Dubai eGovernment projects through the University's Capstone Course. Dubai eGovernment will arrange workshops and seminars for Zayed University students in addition to providing topics, objectives and guidelines for e-learning courses. Zayed University will create, edit and provide the content for e-learning courses in Arabic and English. Moreover, Dubai eGovernment will join and contribute to the Zayed University Centre of Business Excellence.
"Zayed University carries the responsibility of grooming leaders that will shape the future of this country. This calls for strategies that are focused on information, and technology driven solutions. We are proud that our new partnership with Dubai eGovernment, the region's pioneer in facilitating technology for all citizens, will enable our students to study their systems and benefit from their initiatives," added Dr. Al Qassimi. (keralamonitor.com)
12th Arab Lab and Instrumentation Show registers strong participation from several European countries
Dubai, November 9th, 2003
International Conferences and Exhibitions (IC&E) have announced that the 12th edition of the Arab Lab and Instrumentation Show will be held from February 9 to 12, 2004 at the Dubai International Exhibition Centre. The exhibition promises to be a success, with 75 per cent of the exhibition space available already occupied. Country pavilions from Austria, France, Korea, Germany, Iran, Spain, and UK and have registered for the imminent show. With 3 months to the opening of the show, the number of exhibitors is expected to reach over 300, from an estimated 35 countries."The medical industry in the Middle East is witnessing a transformation in line with the local governments' vision of providing the best possible health care in the world to the residents of the region," said Anselm Godinho, Managing Director, International Conferences and Exhibitions, the organisers of the show. "Large budgets are allocated to the upgrading of the existing equipment in the region's medical labs, as well as to the acquisition of the newest, most innovative technologies emerging in the field. With the Healthcare City in Dubai set to provide a world class cluster of health care professionals and services providers to not only the GCC countries but also the Indian Sub continent, Northern Gulf, Central Asia, the Levant, North and East Asia, the expansion of infrastructure will provide significant opportunities to the laboratory equipment researchers, developers and providers to bring cutting-edge technologies to the region."
"However, despite the extensive growth in the medical infrastructure, the health care sector in the region is only a small, albeit significant section of the Arab Lab and Instrumentation show's target visitors," added Godinho. "Sectors such as the Public Services and Industry, and Education are also investing heavily into equipping their laboratories with state of the art lab equipment. In view of this scenario, Arab Lab and Instrumentation show will be of great significance, as it will provide a forum to show case the best technologies from across the world and provide decision-makers the chance to experience hands-on the potential of new innovations in the field."In February 2003, 6500 trade visitors from more than 50 countries visited the show. The last event attracted key personnel from 5 market sectors that included health care, public services, education, environmental associations, as well as representatives of various industries. While the health care sector registered the highest visitor participation at 32 per cent, followed by the industrial representatives forming 23 per cent of the visitors, the public services sector, the environmental associations and the education sector registered 17 per cent, 16 per cent and 12 per cent respectively of the total visitor count.
In keeping with the Arab Lab and Instrumentation tradition of holding technology specific conferences during the show, the show is to be held simultaneously with the Arab Lab Conference 2004, organised by Index Conferences & Exhibitions Organising Est., in association with IC&E. The conference will host several specialised seminars covering microbiology, histopathology, immunology, haematology, genetics, clinical biochemistry and laboratory management. The conference sessions that will be addressed by leading scientists in each field will be open to trade visitors with prior registration.
Besides the conference, Arab Lab and Instrumentation fair will also have an in-show schedule of seminars, the topics for which will be announced shortly by the organisers.(keralamonitor.com)
ACOTEL AND NDS SIGN MOU FOR DEVELOPMENT OF INTERACTIVE APPLICATIONS ON MOBILE PHONES
Dubai, 8 November, 2003 - The Acotel Group, a leading provider of multimedia platforms and applications to mobile network operators and media companies, and NDS, a News Corporation company, and a leading provider of technology solutions for digital pay-TV, have signed an MOU for the joint development of interactive TV services and digital rights management systems for mobile phones. This agreement heralds the launch of NDS's mobile DRM solution.
Acotel and NDS will focus on a series of new applications that will enable TV users to interact with digital television systems - both free to air and encrypted - via the mobile phone. Future services may include pay-per-view movies and sports, and direct interaction with live programs.
NDS has a worldwide reputation for securely delivering content to a pay-TV environment - over 34 million subscribers worldwide, protecting $15 billion of revenues. This new solution for the mobile platform is a further development of NDS's established technology to protect copyright and secure content with sophisticated encryption. NDS's rights management solution represents one of the answers to combat fraud problems and will help broaden the number and range of content providers in the mobile market as well as the quality of their applications.
Acotel and NDS will share their expertise within their own markets. Acotel shares its knowledge of the value-added-services for mobile phones market, while NDS brings its worldwide experience and reputation in the pay-TV world, in content security and rights management.
This agreement will enable Acotel to strengthen its position in new value added business segments for mobile phones and future services will open the way to the development of new business models in the TV world.
Acotel is a leading provider of multimedia platforms and applications to mobile network operators and media companies around the world. Through its customer base, Acotel services more than 35 million end users and enabled 340 million paid text and multimedia messages in 2002. Founded in 1992, Acotel operates in 20 countries and is publicly traded on the Milan Stock Exchange. Acotel customers include IBM, Orange, Radio Hit Channel, Telecom Italia Mobile, Tiscali and Vodafone. (keralamonitor.com)
