Presentation at European Distance and E-learning Network (EDEN) Research Workshop,Budapest, Hungary, October 2010

1. Dr. Narimane Hadj-Hamou
Assistant Chancellor for Academic Development. HBMEU, Dubai
President of the Middle East e-Learning Association
The 6th EDEN Workshop: User Generated Content
Assessment –Enhancing Transparency and Quality
24th - 27th of October, 2010
Budapest, Hungary

2.  Population growth
 Need for equity and accessibility
 Limited financial support
 Lack of planning and strategies for education at all levels
 Weak link between education and labor markets
 Knowledge gap
 Globalization & internationalization
 Lack of ICT integration and use of new forms of
education
 Teaching as oppose to research based universities
 Intellectual migration

4. Lack of recognition by policy makers
Social resistance
Skills and competencies / changing
mindsets
ICT maturity level disparities
Paradigm Shift/ reengineering of
educational system
Quality Assurance

5.  Only 0.6% of the population uses the Internet,
 Only 1.2% have personal computers.

7.  The League of Arab States issued a Draft Declaration of
Principles in 2003 endorsing e-learning as a tool that can
help eliminate illiteracy, achieve universal primary
education, and help improve both the training of teachers
and the delivery of lifelong education for honing
professional skills.
 As a result new initiatives and projects of strategic
importance were launched such as:

8. Government Efforts
 Emergence of e-Governments
 Development of ICT Strategies
 Policies and standards development for online education
 Funds allocation
Higher Education
 Emergence of virtual and open universities
 Integration of ICT in traditional programs
 Conferences and seminars
 Research in online education
Corporate Training

9. E-LEARING REDEFINING TOMORROW’S EDUCATION:
An Arab Experience

10. HBMeU - Vision & Mission
Mission
To provide high quality programs using
virtual learning environment,
supporting the pursuit of lifelong
learning, addressing critical activities of
economic development in the Arab
World by pioneering in e-learning,
providing unique learners experience
and growing knowledge and its
dissemination through excellence in
research and knowledge transfer.
10
Vision
To be the university of choice in the Arab World in shaping the future of education
and learning through innovative solutions.

11. HBMeU
Mission
Emphasizing
Lifelong
Learning
Providing
High
Quality
Programs
Supporting
Economic
Development
Pioneering
in e-
Learning
Providing
Unique
Learners
Experience
Encouraging
Scientific
Research
Leading in
Knowledge
Transfer &
Dissemination
11

12. 12
E-TQM
Institute
School of e-
Health
&
Environmental
Sciences
e-school of
Business
&
Quality
Management
School of
e-Education
Advisory
Board
Advisory
Board
Advisory
Board
Advisory
Board
HBMeU Schools

14. The Middle East e-Learning Association
(MEEA) is a regional independent, non-
political, non-profit association established
for the purpose of providing innovative
open educational practices and promoting
quality, innovation and transparency in
higher and continuing education; and , to
develop policies, procedures, and
practices with respect to the design,
development, and implementation of e-
learning curricula.

15.  Vision
To Grow the understanding, practice and knowledge transfer of
e-Learning in the MENA Region.
 Mission
To create a seamless approach through collaborative means for
the sharing of best practice applications in e-learning and to
support the membership group with their quest for developing,
enhancing and impacting with e-learning.

16.  Networking and Information Sharing
 Encourage and expand interaction and collaboration among members of the associations
 Establish relationships and partnerships with e-Learning Associations, and educational
institutions from other parts of the world
 e-Learning Awareness
 Raise awareness on e-learning related topics through organizing regional road shows,
conferences, issuing publications, etc
 Policy Development and Quality Assurance
 Establish a regional quality assurance framework for the technology enhanced learning
implementation in secondary and higher education as well as corporate training.
 Develop policies around the use of technology in education and corporate training that
would serve the region.
 Support Provision
 Provide ongoing support to institutions aspiring at implementing e-learning through the
provision of guidelines, advises, best practices, access to experts, etc

17.  Encourage the Establishment of Special Interest Groups
 Encourage the establishment of special interest groups.
 Develop protocols to support the operation and communication of such groups
 Commission Research as Appropriate
 Identify the association’s research priorities and establish mechanisms for the
promotion and selection of research projects.
 Conduct collaborative research and development work in all different aspects of e-
learning.
 Provide Structured Professional Development Opportunities
 Conduct regular training assessment needs for the region in relation to e-learning.
 Establish professional and educational programs in the field of e-learning which
respond to the need of the region.
 Establish awards to recognize excellence in various practices of e-learning
 Develop regional awards to recognize excellence in the design, delivery and
evaluation of e-learning.

18. United Nations Educational
Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO)
The International E-Learning
Association (IELA)
International Federation for Information
Processing (IFIP)
European Distance Education
Network (EDEN)
Commonwealth of Learning (COL)
International Honorary Members
European Learning Industry GroupUnited States Distance Learning
Association
Swiss Center of Innovations
in Learning
Open and Distance Learning
Association of Australia

19.  To promote and position MEEA as a catalyst for growing the understanding, practice and
knowledge transfer of e-Learning in the MENA Region.
 To develop and continuously grow a comprehensive portfolio of services that is relevant
and which responds to the need of the MEEA members.
 To continuously promote quality in distance, flexible and ICT-based education.
To contribute to the development of new e-learning policies, strategies, pedagogies,
methodologies and technologies for the region.
 To encourage the exchange and transfer of information, ideas, ‘know-how’ and best
practices in e-learning.
 To increase the number of members of MEEA and ensure the continuous fostering of
cooperation between all members.