Leading education company, Pearson, has launched a first-of-its-kind Arab World Publishing Programme, to help meet the growing need for Arab-centric learning tools.

The new programme is anticipated to enhance the learning and teaching experiences of students and educators across the Arab world, a statement from the company said.

Christine Ozden, president, Mena and Caribbean, Pearson, said: “We launched this program because the Arab world holds special importance for Pearson. As a rapidly developing market on the socio-economic front, we fully appreciate that education is a top priority for this fast-developing region, and there is no better place to start than with the content delivered to students.”

The programme consists of both new and adapted textbooks, specifically created for local students.

Pearson collaborated with leading, local academics and authors to ensure that student needs were reflected in the relevancy and style of content via the inclusion of local examples, case studies, photographs and interviews.

Furthermore, the Arab World editions incorporate adapted English and features such as Arabic/English glossaries to support students in their development of English language acquisition as part of their degree program, the statement said.

Leigh Craig, vice president, higher & professional education, Mena, Pearson, said: “The Arab World Publishing Program is addressing the need for more contextualised textbooks in the region. The inclusion of regional company case studies and examples makes the material more relevant to the everyday reality of students in the region, while international examples provide an all important comparative perspective.”

“The Arab World editions address the key socio-economic and cultural characteristics of the region with reference to trends and data across the Arab world. Engaging pedagogical features and accompanying resources make the series a highly interactive and dynamic learning tool,” Craig said.

The programme was commissioned following extensive market research conducted by the company to assess market need and readiness.

“It was clear from the research we conducted that there was a considerable need in the market for learning material that addresses the needs of the region. Additionally, the number of students entering higher education in the region is rapidly expanding, making the launch of this program very timely,” Craig added.

The Arab World editions are accompanied with a host of supplementary support and a powerful online tutorial homework system, MyLabs, which combines assessment, reporting and personalised study to help both students and instructors succeed.

Management by Robbins, Coutler, Sidani, and Jamali, is the first edition available for the series, the statement said.

It is already being delivered to students in the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) along with many other prestigious universities in the Arab world, it said. – TradeArabia News Service