Eye of Dubai, a premier comprehensive tourism and investment guidebook and online portal for Dubai residents and visitors, is leveraging the popularity and reach of its web portal www.eyeofdubai.com to promote ‘e-Learning Excellence in the Middle East 2008’.

The four-day forum is being held in Dubai and aimed at bringing together leaders and decision-makers to create an action agenda focused on e-Learning quality throughout the region.

The event, under the patronage of minister of higher education and scientific research Shaikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan and organised by the e-TQM College in partnership with Microsoft and Visionaire, opened yesterday (January 15) at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel in Dubai.

“As media partners of this forum we are keen on ensuring maximum publicity for the event, especially since the pace of growth and adoption of e-Learning in the Middle East is a fair reflection of the overall progress and advancement of the region,” said CEO, Eye of Dubai Abdullah Al Harbi.

e-Learning is fast gaining momentum in the Middle East, particularly in the UAE where the total spending on e-Learning is expected to achieve a compounded average growth rate of 26 per cent to reach $72.6 million by the end of 2010, according to statistics provided by Madar Research Group.

Eye of Dubai has been a recipient of several awards, including ‘Best Website of the Year,’ ‘Gold Award for Best Travel and Tourism Website’ and ‘Gold Award for Directories and Info Services’ at the 2007 UAE Web Wards.

It also won ‘Best Strategic Website for Travel and Tourism,’ 'International Standards Web technology Award’ and ‘Gold Award for Best Travel and Tourism Website' during the Pan Arab Web Awards 2007.

The ‘e-Learning Excellence in the Middle East’ Forum will be followed by eight post-forum workshops, offering direct knowledge and skills development in areas related to: Instructional Design, Faculty Development, the use of Reusable Learning Objects, e-Portfolio, e-Learning Solutions and Innovations and other relevant topics related to quality assurance in e-Learning.

The forum is being attended by leaders and administrators who select and support e-Learning; business enterprises and academics who are involved in research in the areas of e-Learning, ICT applications and e-Training; and teachers. – TradeArabia News Service