By IPS Correspondents
AJMAN, Mar 6 2003 (IPS)

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) academic subject review project has highlighted the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as the most advanced e-learning country in the region – all the more commendable when one notes overall standards in the Arab region as a whole are quite low.

"We still need more collaboration on computer science in the Arab region," stressed Dr Matar Ahmed Abdullah Juma, program specialist with the UNDP, at the Ajman University of Science and Technology yesterday.

"The project will help us set up quality computer science education in the region’s universities, establish uniform database on human resources development and raise potential of Arab institutions to achieve better performance," the ‘Gulf News’ reported today quoting Juma as saying.

The project, which has studied 15 universities from the Arab world, has selected Ajman University as the quality university on computer sciences in the UAE.

The project is part of the UNDP program on enhancement of quality assurance and institutional planning at Arab universities. "Computer science curricula are often strongly influenced by the needs of society, and we have good e-learning technology in the UAE," said Dr Juma.

"This technology needs to be exported to other parts of the Arab region where they still lack such advancement. The project will help these countries share e-learning more effectively."

The project’s objective is to introduce independent systems of assessing program quality in Arab universities according to internationally accepted criteria. The project is also designed to encourage universities to provide students with sound education so that they become keen competitors when they graduate.

Dr Saeed Abdullah Salman, president of the Ajman University of Science and Technology, said: "The selection will further drive us to achieve quality. Our university has come a long way, from a humble beginning to the huge expansion we see today."

Earlier and during the project, the UNDP conducted training workshops followed by assessment at a number of universities in the Arab world including Ajman University of Science and Technology. The computer science program was found meeting quality standards following the final review in the UAE.

In the first year of the program (2002), computer science programs in 15 universities from 11 Arab countries were reviewed. In an individual report on each university, the program highlighted areas of strength, weakness and reform for the higher education sector in the Arab region.

The first phase of the project selected universities having a quality computer science program, while the second phase will set up a central information network connecting the 15 universities. The network will enable a database on each university to provide decision-makers with information for development.

Excerpt:

By IPS Correspondents
AJMAN, Mar 6 2003 (IPS)

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) academic subject review project has highlighted the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as the most advanced e-learning country in the region – all the more commendable when one notes overall standards in the Arab region as a whole are quite low.

"We still need more collaboration on computer science in the Arab region," stressed Dr Matar Ahmed Abdullah Juma, program specialist with the UNDP, at the Ajman University of Science and Technology yesterday.

"The project will help us set up quality computer science education in the region’s universities, establish uniform database on human resources development and raise potential of Arab institutions to achieve better performance," the ‘Gulf News’ reported today quoting Juma as saying.

The project, which has studied 15 universities from the Arab world, has selected Ajman University as the quality university on computer sciences in the UAE.

The project is part of the UNDP program on enhancement of quality assurance and institutional planning at Arab universities. "Computer science curricula are often strongly influenced by the needs of society, and we have good e-learning technology in the UAE," said Dr Juma.

"This technology needs to be exported to other parts of the Arab region where they still lack such advancement. The project will help these countries share e-learning more effectively."

The project’s objective is to introduce independent systems of assessing program quality in Arab universities according to internationally accepted criteria. The project is also designed to encourage universities to provide students with sound education so that they become keen competitors when they graduate.

Dr Saeed Abdullah Salman, president of the Ajman University of Science and Technology, said: "The selection will further drive us to achieve quality. Our university has come a long way, from a humble beginning to the huge expansion we see today."

Earlier and during the project, the UNDP conducted training workshops followed by assessment at a number of universities in the Arab world including Ajman University of Science and Technology. The computer science program was found meeting quality standards following the final review in the UAE.

In the first year of the program (2002), computer science programs in 15 universities from 11 Arab countries were reviewed. In an individual report on each university, the program highlighted areas of strength, weakness and reform for the higher education sector in the Arab region.

The first phase of the project selected universities having a quality computer science program, while the second phase will set up a central information network connecting the 15 universities. The network will enable a database on each university to provide decision-makers with information for development.

Excerpt: