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Dubai, UAE - To meet the needs of an increasing number of international schools in the Middle East teaching a British curriculum, Oxford International AQA Examinations will launch its new qualifications in the region this month. This move is aimed at helping British curriculum international schools in the region demonstrate a commitment to quality and remain in step with the educational system in the UK.
The launch makes the Middle East the first region in the world to benefit from the joint venture between Oxford University Press (OUP), the world's largest university press and AQA, the UK's largest academic awarding body.
Driven by a mission to improve young people's education around the world, Oxford International AQA Examinations will provide international A-levels and GCSEs to the Middle East, initially in English, Maths and Science.
The qualifications will reflect many of the latest reforms to the British Curriculum, including the new 9-1 grading system at GCSE. They have been tailored for English speakers living outside the UK, and exams will be scheduled at locally-convenient times.
Kate Harris, Managing Director, Oxford Education at Oxford University Press, and Andrew Hall, Chief Executive of AQA, spoke at the regional launch in Dubai, while Christine Ozden, Managing Director, Oxford International AQA Examinations and Martine Garland, Director of Educational Development at AQA addressed Abu Dhabi attendees.
Kate Harris said: "Education has the ability to transform lives, and it is also a catalyst for economic growth, sustainability and innovation. With a growing focus on education across the Middle East, Oxford International AQA Examinations will support learning across the region; providing the highest quality qualifications to support the growing number of children attending international schools. I truly believe it will make a real difference."
The new international qualifications from Oxford International AQA Examinations are based on UK qualifications developed by more than 1,000 teachers, subject specialists and university academics.
"Our qualifications draw upon the complementary strengths of OUP and AQA," Andrew Hall said. "At AQA, we bring our expertise in developing and delivering world-class qualifications, and both organisations share a mission to improve education through teaching, learning and assessment. These new qualifications will really help young people in the Middle East to develop the skills they need to thrive in the world's knowledge-based economies."
The Middle East launch took place in Dubai on the 3rd of November at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel and in Abu Dhabi on the 4th November at the Rosewood Hotel. International qualifications from Oxford International AQA Examinations will be available for teaching from September 2016.
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About Oxford International AQA Examinations
Oxford International AQA Examinations provides high-quality international GCSEs, A-levels, and AS qualifications for students studying in British curriculum schools. Founded upon a mission to improve education around the world, we are a joint venture between Oxford University Press, a department of the University of Oxford, and AQA, the UK's leading awarding body. Our international GCSEs and A-levels utilize AQA's expertise in creating and delivering world-class qualifications, together with Oxford University Press's expertise in providing educational services to schools around the world.
About Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press (OUP) is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University's objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide. OUP is the world's largest university press with the widest global presence. It currently publishes thousands of new publications a year, has offices in around fifty countries, and employs nearly 7,000 people worldwide. It has become familiar to millions through a diverse publishing programme that includes scholarly works in all academic disciplines, bibles, music, school and college resources, children's books, materials for teaching English as a foreign language, business books, dictionaries and reference books, and academic journals.
About AQA
AQA is an independent education charity. Its purpose is to advance education by enabling students and teachers to realise their potential. AQA is the largest provider of academic qualifications taught in schools and colleges in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It sets and marks the papers for around half of all GCSEs and A-levels and its qualifications are taught in around 30 countries around the world.
Born out of five leading universities, it has over a century of qualifications expertise. Today, it employs more than 1,200 people and works with around 35,000 teachers, lecturers, subject experts and academics, who help set and mark our exams.
Any money it makes through providing qualifications gets invested back into education. For example, its Centre for Education Research and Practice provides research evidence that helps inform education policy and raise the bar in assessment practice across the world. Through the AQA Unlocking Potential mentoring programme, it helps young people who are facing challenges develop their skills and knowledge, increase their self-belief and raise their aspirations.
Visit AQA's website and find out more at aqa.org.uk or follow @AQA on Twitter.
For more information please contact:
Emma Jones or Rabia Rathore
Action Global Communications
Email: emma.j@actionprgroup.com or rabia.r@actionprgroup.com
Tel: +971 4 390 2960
© Press Release 2015
