The GSMA (Groupe Speciale Mobile Association) and the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) of the UAE have partnered to establish a Centre of Excellence for mobile telecommunications policy and regulation in the Mena region.

The Centre of Excellence will provide regulators and policymakers from across the region with practical tools and best practices with the goal of creating an environment that encourages competition and investment in telecommunications in the UAE and across the Middle East.

“Mobile is one of the most dynamic sectors in technology and regulatory authorities face a growing skills and knowledge gap as they work to keep pace with new developments in the industry,” said Anne Bouverot, director general, GSMA.

“Together, we will leverage insights and knowledge of the market to develop a structured and scalable capacity building programme that will help inform regulatory decision making. We’re excited to be collaborating with the TRA to launch this Centre of Excellence here in Dubai.”

Mohamad Al Ghanim, director general of the TRA said: “We are also very proud to be the first Centre of Excellence in the region to meet the emerging demands of ICT sector.

“In order to streamline efficient and effective regulation of the ICT sector in this ever-changing environment, we have collaborated with the GSMA to establish a capacity building centre of excellence that will facilitate the development of skills and will enhance the knowledge base of industry and regulatory professionals.”

The Centre of Excellence will offer regulators and policymakers a comprehensive understanding of contemporary regulation theory and emerging regulatory practice models, as well as business and technology trends relevant to the mobile communications sector in the region.

The Centre’s curriculum will initially comprise 10 courses on fundamental policy topics including spectrum management, mobile sector taxation, competition, mobile privacy and socio-economic development, among others.

In later stages of development, the programme will offer additional modules to address emerging issues or specific content requirements, such as courses on the Internet of Things, mobile identity, mCommerce and mGovernment.

In the future, the partnership could be extended to the creation of a one-year Masters course with an UAE academic institution, which would be accredited by UAE academic authorities.

The Centre of Excellence will be located at the TRA’s state-of-the-art facilities in Dubai and courses will be delivered either on-site or via online facilities. The GSMA and TRA expect to begin offering courses in the first quarter of 2015. – TradeArabia News Service