Partners with major corporations to promote online learning and skills development in the UAE

Dubai, October 12, 2004: eCompany, Etisalat's one-stop e-powerhouse that offers Internet services and total e-solutions, in association with HP, today announced the launch of the LearnOnline Challenge 2004 aimed at encouraging productive usage of the Internet as a tool to acquire knowledge and expertise. This free competition is open to all UAE Internet users who can register at www.LearnOnline.ae to participate and have a chance of winning a total of AED100,000 in prizes.

The LearnOnline Challenge 2004 encourages participants to prepare themselves with the information and resources available on the Internet to answer specific questionnaires online. The questionnaires are designed to test the understanding of participants in various topics. Responses from each category will be adjudged by a jury comprising leading personalities on the topic of the questionnaire and they will award the winners with attractive prizes.

eCompany has partnered with HP, the region's leading IT company, along with other cosponsors to organize this competition in the UAE.  This sponsorship by HP reflects the company's commitment to education, its position as a leader in social responsibility and commitment to further the cause of e-Learning in the region. 

The co-sponsors of the competition include leading companies like ElementK Middle East, Intel, Motorola, Sites Power, Symantec, Universitas 21 Global, University of Wollongong and VISA International.

The eight topics of the competition include Databases, Desktop Computing, eCommerce, Personal Finance, Networking, Organizational Productivity, Security, and Web Development. The LearnOnline Challenge 2004 will last for a period of more than a month. Participant registration will be open from today and they can respond to the questionnaires till November 2, 2004, after which time the jury will examine the responses and announce the winners on November 12, 2004. An award presentation gala dinner will be held on November 21, 2004 where the jury will present the prizes.

Launching the LearnOnline Challenge 2004, Ahmad Abdulkarim Julfar, General Manager, eCompany, said: "Our aim is to spread the adoption of the Internet as a productive tool for learning and skills development in the UAE. Online learning can be utilized for personal and professional skills development by anyone. It builds on the all pervasiveness of the Internet to deliver content and interactivity in almost any subject imaginable. We are happy to have pioneered this first of its kind concept in the region in cooperation with partners."

Joseph Hanania, Managing Director of HP Middle East, added with respect to the LearnOnline challenge, "HP is at the forefront of developments to support the development of e-Learning in the region, and we are happy to be part of this pioneering initiative taken by eCompany.  We believe that such initiatives are vital in helping to advance the competence and capabilities of individuals from a variety of backgrounds throughout the region and look forward to participate in other such initiatives in the future."

For more information regarding the LearnOnline Challenge 2004, participants can call a toll free help desk open 24X7 on 800 6100 or visit www.learnonline.ae.             

For more information regarding HP's involvement in LearnOnline Challenge 2004, please contact Ian Jagger, HP at 04-3916000.

-Ends-  

About HP
HP is a technology solutions provider to consumers, business and institutions globally.  The company's offering IT infrastructure, personal computing and access devises, global services and imaging and printing.  For the four fiscal quarters ended July 31, 2004, HP revenue totalled $78.4 billion.  More information about HP (NYSE, Nasdaq:HPQ) IS AVAIALBLE AT www.hp.comAbout HP Middle East

HP is the largest IT company in the Middle East employing about 500 professionals in the region.  HP ahs been present in the Middle East since 1968, and opened its first regional office in 1994 and has offices in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Jeddah and Khobar, Cairo and Ramalleh servicing GCC, the Levant and Egypt.  For more information about HP in the Middle East, please visit www.hp.com/me.

Press release issued by Public Relations Department - Etisalat

For further media information, please contact:
Public Relations Department
Tel: 02 6182173
Fax: 02 6334448
Email: PRD@etisalat.ae

© Press Release 2004