ICDL GCC Foundation, the regional governing body of the ICDL programs in the Gulf States, has granted its approval to Element K's Arabic version of ICDL Syllabus 4, following the recent endorsement of its English content.
The ICDL Syllabus 4 was developed by ECDL Foundation over a two-year period and incorporates inputs from computer users, subject matter experts and practicing computer professionals. Syllabus 4 has been adopted by many regions around the world, and the Gulf Region has already completed their migration to the new syllabus.
Susan Bodinson, General Manager, Element K Middle East, said: "As a result of the approval of the ICDL Syllabus 4 Arabic version by ICDL GCC Foundation, e-Learning is set to get a new boost in the region, as many learners prefer Arabic content over English due to their familiarity with the Arabic language. The Arabised content will now be incorporated into the latest online courses and courseware offered by Element K Middle East."
"Updating courseware to meet evolving customer demands has been one of the key strengths of Element K," added Bodinson. "We are pleased to offer added value to Arabic speaking learners through our Arabised ICDL Syllabus 4 materials. The approval from ICDL GCC Foundation has come after a thorough scrutiny and application of stringent rules. We are proud of this recognition and are confident that it will add a new edge to our e-Learning solutions for the Middle East market."
"ICDL Syllabus 4 provides a stronger preparation for computer use by addressing many new technology areas such as security, file compression, e-Government, netiquette, and lifestyle technology devices such as digital cameras and Personal Digital Assistants," said Bodinson. "With the Middle East getting increasingly IT-savvy, the Syllabus 4 content has been designed to help learners make optimal use of advanced technology for higher productivity and better performance."
"The approval of the Arabic version of Syllabus 4 by ICDL GCC Foundation is the result of the expansion in its remit in the region, whereby the Foundation can henceforth, review and approve, Arabic as well as the English versions of Syllabus 4 Courseware developed by vendors worldwide," commented Jamil Ezzo, Director General, ICDL GCC Foundation. "We are glad to have received the support of a multinational training and educational organisations like Element K. We look forward to working closely with the vendors of ICDL training to further spread ICDL program in the region."
"The ICDL program has proved to be a highly successful form of spreading computer literacy among citizens around the world. In this region, the program has already proved to be highly popular in the government and educational sectors; as well as with even large corporations. Only recently has the ICDL program got a boost through the endorsement of the IT for teachers' initiative by H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Defence Minister. With the approved Arabisation of Syllabus 4, people in the Middle East can gain the all important competitive edge in computer proficiency," added Ezzo.
-Ends-
About Element K
Element K is a leading provider of instructor-led courseware and e-learning solutions for technology and business skills serving training centers, Fortune 1000 companies, schools and universities, government organizations and individuals. Element K has a 20-year history in computer training and is a pioneer in courseware development and e-learning. The company launched its e-Learning offering in 1996, making it the first company to offer interactive IT content on the Web. Today, Element K offers more than 1600 online courses in information technology and business skills. Its engaging and interactive online training solutions feature collaborative, instructor-facilitated online courses, self-paced tutorials, vLabs hands-on exercises on remote hardware, professional certifications, a comprehensive reference library and KnowledgeHub, a hosted e-learning platform with robust learning management capabilities. Element K's professional services include learning management consultants to assist with deployment and a participation development team to help maximize participation and return on investment. For more information on Element K's offerings, visit www.elementk.com.
Microsoft is a trademark of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
Element K, vLabs, and KnowledgeHub are trademarks of Element K LLC.
About ICDL
International Computer Driving License (ICDL), is an internationally recognized computer proficiency standard that is owned by the European Computer Driving License (ECDL) and introduced by the UNESCO's Cairo Office (UCO) for Arab states in 2001, is gaining increasing acceptance in the Middle East, with several governments adopting and prescribing it to their employees. The ICDL program exists in over 132 countries, and is offered in 32 languages, including Arabic. The programs offered are all based on one standard syllabus and question set. There are more than 15,000 centres worldwide, and over 10 million exams have been taken globally since the launch of the program.
About ICDL GCC Foundation
ICDL GCC Foundation was created by the ECDL Foundation, the not-for-profit global governing body of the ECDL and ICDL member countries dedicated to helping raise the general level of computer skills in societies and providing access for all to the information society, to serve the to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) States with their implementation of ICDL and for providing them with localised support to ensure quality of ICDL programs. The ICDL-GCC Foundation is the sole accreditation body that is responsible to support ICDL accredited training and testing centres in the GCC. It also acts as the reviewing and approving body for the local adaptation of ICDL programs.
For further information, please contact:
Orient Planet PR & Marketing Communications
PO Box 23345
Dubai
UAE
Tel : +971 4 3988901
Fax : +971 4 398894
Email : info@orientplanet.com
Website : www.orientplanet.com
© Press Release 2005
