SAP, a market leader in enterprise application software, has announced the launch of its training and development institute at Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO), the integrated free zone technology park in the UAE.

Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the chairman of Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority (DSOA) officially inaugurated the new facility in the presence of Dr Mohammed Al Zarooni, the CEO and vice-chairman of DSOA; Shahla Abdul Razak, the deputy CEO of DSOA; Dr Werner Brandt, SAP chief financial officer and executive board member; and Sam Alkharrat, SAP Mena managing director.

MaritaMitschein, the senior VP Strategic Investments, SAP AG, and newly appointed managing director of the institute were also present.

A collaboration between SAP Mena, a subsidiary of SAP and DSOA, the venture is designed to serve the entire Mena region through training and certifying SAP consultants, driving partner and customer co-innovation, and enhancing the localised SAP portfolio of solutions, said a company statement.

“The institute serves as a vital investment to up-skill local talent and drive sustainable innovation and growth across the region," remarked Sheikh Ahmed after the official launch.

"While today represents the official inauguration of the UAE’s first IT-specific education and development entity, we can notice the significant progress registered in building operational processes and concrete IT solutions that address country-specific needs," he stated.

"The importance of IT in shaping the Mena region’s future cannot be underestimated and we are proud to partner with SAP to harness its potential in such an effective way,” he added.

Following the inauguration ceremony, Sheikh Ahmed witnessed a live Arabic demonstration of the SAP Customer Financial Fact Sheet, a mobile application that allows enterprises to stay up-to-date on the orders and financial status of their customers anywhere, anytime.

Set up within a short time since its announcement in March, 20 developers, language experts and product managers have taken up residence at the institute, with notable results including the localisation of SAP‘s Human Capital Management (HCM), Financials (FIN) and Fund Management solutions for Saudi Arabia’s public sector, as well as HCM and FIN solutions for Qatar’s private sector to further complete SAP’s broad local offerings.

SAP said it plans to open additional training institutes across the region, said Brandt.

The new institute aims to certify 2,000 new SAP consultants within the next four years, tripling the company’s existing consulting capabilities in the region, as well as accelerating and extending the localization and Arabization of SAP solutions to meet fast-growing regional industry needs, the official said.

“SAP’s Training and Development Institute at DSO forms a key part of our growth strategy in the Mena region," he added.-TradeArabia News Service