Dubai will host a major conference on innovations in e-Learning next month (September).

Blackboard Inc., a leading provider of educational technology, will host its first Middle East Summit at Dubai Men's College, Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT). The HCT is a 14-campus system serving 18,000 students across the region.

The Blackboard Middle East Summit will bring together delegates spanning eight countries including Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Saudia Arabia and the UAE, among others, to learn about innovations in e-Learning.

Blackboard president and CEO Michael Chasen will deliver the conference keynote address about e-learning trends such as the use of Web 2.0 technology in education, and present new Blackboard product innovations including SafeAssign, a new plagiarism prevention service.

The UAE Minister of Education Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan has provided ongoing support for the summit, with the goal of opening a dialogue with academic leaders across the Middle East.

As part of Blackboard's ongoing commitment to furthering education in the region, last month, new right-to-left language capabilities were unveiled as part of the Blackboard e-Learning platform to support Arabic.

'It is very exciting to work with academic institutions around the world, to learn about different cultures and education systems and help provide technology to continually expand educational opportunities,' said Chasen. 'We look forward to continuing to build upon the relationships we have formed in the Middle East, and other parts of the world to enhance teaching and learning for people everywhere.'

More than 30 academic institutions spanning eight countries in the Middle East rely on Blackboard technology. To expand its international business and support growth in the Middle East, Blackboard works with partners Edutech Middle East, General Computers & Electronics (GCE) and Integrated Solutions for Business (ISB). All have long-standing and successful relationships with Blackboard and academic institutions across the region, he said.
 
More information on the summit is available at www.blackboard.com  -TradeArabia News Service