UNDER THE PATRONAGE of

Hamdan Bin Mohammed e-University leads launch of activities of International Consortium for Teaching and Learning Centers

Under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and President of Hamdan Bin Mohammed e-University, H.H. Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, today opened the ‘Annual Congress 2011’, which is being held in Dubai under the theme “Being at the Leading Edge – How to give Quest for Excellence a New Meaning.” Hamdan Bin Mohammed e-University (HBMeU), a leader in the field of e-Learning and quality management in the Arab World, has also announced the launch of the “International Consortium for Teaching and Learning Centers” (ICTLC)”.

The ICTLC initiative is in line with HBMeU’s goal to develop a collaborative network with universities that will help intensify efforts to adopt technology in the professional development of faculty and staff members and in equipping learners with skills and competencies in the areas of innovative teaching and learning. ICTLC also encourages joint scholarly and research work among the universities that are part of the Consortium.

With the launch of ICTLC, the first-of-its-kind initiative in the world, HBMeU aims to improve the quality of teaching and learning of member institutions by creating a platform to collaborate in developing knowledge, sharing resources and case studies, providing leadership and quality practices, and encouraging community building. The Consortium’s founding members, led by HBMeU, are among the most prominent universities and academic institutions of different countries including Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Egypt, Malaysia, China, Nigeria, and Mauritius. The members of the Consortium have been selected on the basis of their reputation and credibility and their shared values that support the Consortium’s objectives of disseminating knowledge and developing the quality of education.

Commenting on the launch of the pioneering initiative, Dr. Mansoor Al Awar, Chancellor of HBMeU, said, “ICTLC is one of the most important steps we have taken to strengthen collaborative efforts towards realizing our shared vision in the field of education. The launch of the initiative reaffirms the stature of HBMeU as a world-leader in disseminating knowledge, encouraging scientific and scholarly research and cultivating a culture of innovation and creativity to create an integrated cognitive environment that supports economic and social development. The Consortium will soon conclude collaboration agreements with two more universities, one from Asia and one from America, which will expand our knowledge transfer and exchange network in these regions.”

Al Awar added: “Driven by the Consortium’s mission to create a collaborative platform for developing knowledge, we will coordinate with other members of the Consortium to shift our focus towards intensifying the exchange of resources and knowledge by providing networking opportunities, sharing best international educational practices, leading professional development programs, and implementing joint research initiatives and projects. In addition, we will be organizing webinars and web-conferences and launching International Awards in recognition of excellence in both teaching and learning. We will also assist in providing more self-learning and e-learning opportunities for scholars and offering them high-quality practical experiences in the areas of teaching and learning. In the future, ICTLC will allow more academic centers and educational institutions from all over the world to join as members according to a set of criteria and our vision and objectives in the future.”

Meanwhile, a number of case studies were discussed on the sidelines of the Annual Congress 2011. The studies are the first to be published by the British Research Center in line with steps to transfer, produce and disseminate knowledge all over the Arab region and rest of the world. The case studies tackled a number of influential subjects and issues under three main themes: “Challenging Conventional Wisdom: A Comprehensive Framework for the Design and Development of Online Courses”, “Carving a Learner-centric Paradigm for e-Learning” and “The Quest for Creating an Impact on Education in the Arab World”.

HBMeU is the first e-learning institute in the Arab World that was established with the vision to develop a new learning process through the implementation of learning practices characterised by flexibility, quality and diversity to strengthen self-leadership among learners and prepare them socially and academically for a future career through integration in the job market. HBMeU’s philosophy is based on vital methods that have been developed through extensive research and development by specialists from all over the world. These methods include offering high quality programs, supporting the pursuit of lifelong learning, promoting the freedom of information, reinforcing the culture of excellence and innovation and providing education for everyone in line with the highest standards of comprehensiveness and credibility. The university seeks to constantly identify knowledge needs, support research and development programs and create an outstanding environment for e-learning.

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