Engineering degrees by professional bodies till May 2013 valid: AICTE

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November 21, 2017

Grad hat with diploma and books isolated on white

Engineering and technology degrees and diplomas awarded by Institution of Engineers (India) and other professional bodies to students till May 31, 2013 will stand valid “for all purposes” ranging from employment in government sector to higher education.

Around five years ago, the Ministry of Human Resource and Development (MHRD) has withdrawn the recognition of these institutions. The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has restored their recognition in the decision taken at a recent emergency meeting.

“All those students who were enrolled with these institutions with permanent recognition up to May 31, 2013, stand recognised,” said a senior AICTE official.

“After reviewing the issue, a decision was taken to recognise equivalence for all purposes, including higher education and employment, to the technical courses conducted by the professional bodies and institutions which were duly recognised by HRD ministry with permanent recognition up to May 31, 2013,” the official added.

The move will affect thousands of students who were left in the lurch after the ministry de-recognised the programmes in December 2012.

IIT Kharagpur alumnus Subir Chowdhury named in Thinkers50

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digitalLEARNING Network

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November 20, 2017

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur alumnus Subir Chowdhury has been named in the “Thinkers50” for 2017 for his expertise on “management quality and process improvements”.

Thinkers50 is a global ranking of management published every two years.

Chowdhury, the Chairman & CEO of ASI Consulting Group, is the author of 15 books. He was recognised as #1 international bestselling author of his book “The Power of Six Sigma” published in 2001. He is also praised by The New York Times as a “leading Quality expert,” and “the Quality Prophet” by Business Week.

His latest book “The Difference: When Good Enough Isn’t Enough” made it to the USA Today Bestseller list as well as National Bestseller in India.

A 50-year-old Subir was born in Chittagong, Bangladesh, and lives with his family in Los Angeles, California.

He received his undergraduate degree in aeronautical engineering from the IIT Kharagpur, India, and his graduate degree in industrial management from Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant, Michigan.

Chowdhury has launched an app “Subir Chowdhury: Quality is Everyone’s Business” for both Android and iOS users to help promote their understanding on the effect of quality in all levels of business function and public policy.

Opinion: Leveraging the Power of Technology

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digitalLEARNING Network

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November 20, 2017

With the advent of various free applications, teaching processes are fast evolving from teacher-directed monologues to learner-centred explorations, writes Husien Dohadwalla, Edupreneur, for Elets News Network (ENN).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a recent programme stated that the focus needs to shift from quantity to quality of education. Using this as a premise, technology can be a significant driver of quality education, so that, increasing number of schools can provide a holistic and interactive learning experience to make our students future-ready.

Traditionally, the usage of technology in education was hardware-centric and comprised a computer lab setup, introduction of projectors or plasma screens, among others. However, with the advent of various free applications, teaching processes are fast evolving from teacher-directed monologues to learner-centred explorations. These technologies not only come at minimal costs but also upgrade the learning experience to become more immersive and interactive, allowing students to go beyond textbooks and classroom walls to fuel their curiosity.

Here are some technology-aided plugins to help teachers become facilitators, and classrooms become student-centered learning spaces.

Google Classroom: One of the biggest challenges we face in India is the widening teacher-student ratio, as reported by the Washington-based research organisation, Brookings Institution. Technology can help mitigate this challenge with the use of free software such as Google Classroom, a part of the G Suite for Education. This tool helps teachers create an e-classroom experience with space for appending reference material as well as assignments. The teacher can also go through assignment submissions, export score sheets and give constructive individual feedback to each child. This can also help the teacher save time on clerical work and bring to the table latest relevant topics of interest from websites such as Khan Academy, YouTube, among others, and also by use group dynamics for inquiry learning.

Kahoot: Gamification in classrooms is widely used to aid learning, as it makes the process more interesting as well as interactive. Kahoot helps teachers make assessment fun. With gamification elements added, students interest is piqued which thereby leads to a better and more productive outcome for them. With colourful avatars and animated messages, the experience of assessments can be transformed into a fun, online learning exercise, for free

Flipgrid: Recently, in one of our schools, we asked students to conduct a research on Starbucks and how its business has adapted to different markets and cultures across the world. The aim of this exercise was to help kids understand the impact of globalisation with examples from the real world. We introduced the software Flipgrid to them. Flipgrid allows students to record short video responses and share it with their classmates on the subject grid. The tool also provides a platform for students to interact, discuss and respond to videos made by each other so that diverse and novel perspectives can be exchanged. With the help of such software, the traditional teacher-directed rote learning methodologies can give way to peer-learning and self-learning approaches, which work more efficiently due to its explorative and interactive nature.

While technology was traditionally considered to be hardware-related in the Indian education landscape, there is more to it than meets the eye. The need of the hour is strategic investments for better tech-competency in the teacher community, an introduction to e-learning methodologies and encouraging collaboration between schools across countries as well as continents. Moreover, low adaptation costs of such software are a boon for upscaling quality on a larger scale and helping it reach millions of learners. I am confident that such tech-integration will certainly lead to the flawless and efficient evolution of Ed-India 2.0, faster than we could have expected a decade ago.

(Mr Husien Dohadwalla, is the Head of Curriculum – Middle, Secondary and High School, at the Fazlani L’Academie Globale and the DY Patil International School Network.)

Vancouver Film School to assist Telangana to form Satellite Campus

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digitalLEARNING Network

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November 18, 2017

A new “Satellite Campus” has been proposed for Hyderabad that will offer programmes in animation, gaming and VFX on par with international standards.

Vancouver Film School (VFS) on Friday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Telangana Government’s IT, Electronics & Communication Department with for setting up the campus.

As per the agreement, Telangana Academy for Skill and Knowledge (TASK) has been appointed as the nodal agency to implement the programme on behalf of the State to set up a campus which is likely to come up in 2018.

The VFS would send teachers, lecturers and experts to conduct off-site training and classes as well as examinations, along with offering scholarships and incentives for students of the campus to attend VFS Canada.

The MoU was signed in presence of Telangana IT Minister KT Rama Rao and Canadian Minister of International trade, Francois Philippe Champagne, who was in the city as part of a ministerial dialogue between the two countries.

According to its official website, VFS offers 13 post-secondary diploma programs that deliver techniques and skills required in acting, animation, film and TV production, screenwriting, programming, makeup, sound, interactive or game design.

AISCET Pioneering ‘Skill India’ In Madhya Pradesh

Article

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Akash

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November 17, 2017

The AISECT University was established in Bhopal in 2010 as India’s first university to impart skill education. In a short span of time, the university has not only set an example for quality skills-based formal education but has also emerged as a research hub of the country, writes Vijay Singh, Registrar, Aisect University for Elets News Network (ENN).

AISECT University is one of the most trusted education groups in the country that offers a wide spectrum of programmes at PhD, undergraduate (UG) and post graduate levels through nine major faculties including Engineering and Technology, Science, Management, Commerce, Arts, Paramedical, Education, Computer Science and IT and Law. Owing to its path-breaking initiatives, AISECT is recognised as a premier university in academic circles and among the aspiring students.

To bridge the skill gap, the university has introduced skill-based learning in the higher education and started skill academies in each department in collaboration with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), which offers over 30 skill courses. In addition to the curriculum, the university has made it mandatory for each student to learn a new skill every year during their degree programmes. So, an undergraduate student passes with three to four skills in addition to hands-on experience on industrial machines.

Spread over 52 acres, the university has advanced laboratories with the latest equipments, lecture halls equipped with video conferencing, digital classrooms and a digitised library service equipped with the DELNET software offering technology-based learning environment to the students. The University has also organised a unique state-level tech fest “Rhythm DIGIGEN 2K16” last year. Moreover, the University has joined hands with Microsoft for its Platinum Ed-vantage Partnership programmeto help students in acquiring the right skills.

Research is a major focus area for AISECT University and it has collaborated with several research centres and universities in India and abroad. In fact, the university has made research activity compulsary for every undergraduate student from the first year. Students are encouraged to write and publish research papers and the university itself is publishing research journals of international standard. Adding to this, AISECT University is soon going to conduct a research methodology workshop named “Gyanoday” for the students. Besides this, every year, the university organises at least one international event and this year too, in March, the university organised an international conference on Water, Environment, Energy and Society (ICWEES) with participation from over 20 and with publication of 300 research papers.

Over the years, the University’s progressive approach has earned immense popularity and accolades at national as well as international platforms including the Shiksha Ratna Award, the ASSOCHAM National Education Excellence Award and the World Education Award.

SNBP: Harnessing Talent For Kids’ Holistic Growth

Interviews

By

Akash

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November 17, 2017

SNBP promotes activity-based learning to ensure holistic growth of students in a friendly environment. We always focus on making education more fun and simple to understand, says Dr Vrishali Bhosale, President, SNBP Group of Institutes, in an interview with Elets News Network (ENN).

Give us an overview of SNBP Group of Institutes.

‘’The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams’’. The offshoot of SNBP sprung, holding on to our this vision and today the banner holds high with 13 institutions,over 10,000 students and 1,500 dedicated staff committed to accomplish this mission. Our dreams will continue to be our goals.

How do you ensure holistic development of children in your institutes?

Dr Vrishali Bhosale, President, SNBP Group of Institutes

Children’s early age experiences lay the foundation of their life ahead. At SNBP, we promote activity-based learning to ensure holistic growth of children aged 6-8 years in a friendly environment. Our teachers dedicatedly help students to be problem solvers and solution-seekers and to learn skills to handle personal as well as professional problems in their life. Various extra-curricular activities are also organised to instill compassion, respect, empathy and integrity amongst students.

How have you integrated ICT in your institutes?

Globally, educational systems are adopting new technologies and integrating ICT in the teaching-learning process. Keeping need of the hour in mind, we have equipped our classroom with e-learning. Our R&D department assists teachers to integrate technology with the curriculum to boost the learning among student. Apart from this we have our own web portal to assist students at home as well.

Recent incidents at different schools have raised serious concerns on security promises made by schools, what measures have been taken by SNBP group to ensure safety of students?

From its year of inception, safety of students is the priority of SNBP group. The following measures have been taken to ensure holistic learning in safe environment:

CCTV cameras are installed in corridors, classrooms and playgrounds
A well maintained infirmary with a doctor and an assistant
Counseling cell to address issues like child abuse and make students aware about the good and bad touch
Fire safety weeks are conducted on a regular basis
To ensure safety of students in bus through GPS tracking device, first aid box, fire extinguisher, door locks etc

What sports and extra-curricular activities are organized by the institute?

SNBP Group of Institutes promotes activity-based education. Our entire curriculum is integrated with extra-curricular activities to enrich teaching-learning process. Every month we conduct 5-6 extra-curricular activities and ensure participation of every student.

What are your expansion plans?

Martin Luther King Jr once said, “Life’s most persistent and the urgent question is, what you are doing for others?”

SNBP Group was established to experience the joy of giving. In a span of two decades, the group has three CBSE schools, three SSC schools, four junior colleges and three senior colleges under its umbrella. Our vision is to educate children in remote areas of the country through latest technology.

MOOCs: The new generation learning

Article

By

Akash

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November 15, 2017

MOOCs provide an affordable and flexible way to learn new skills, advance your career and deliver quality educational experiences at scale, writes Dr Archana Thakur, Chief Vigilance Officer and Joint Secretary, University Grants Commission (UGC), how MOOCs is helping students in their learning for Elets News Network (ENN).

Gone are the years when whatever we learnt in school or colleges used to get stuck with us throughout our working life. The rapid pace of technological advancement has turned constant learning as the most pressing need of the day and for this the massive open online courses (MOOCs) have been adequately equipped to address and help in it.

MOOCs have been one of the most hotly-debated topics in the education circles over the past few years. Opinions have been extremely polarising, with some people heralding it as the greatest leap for education since the invention of the printing press, and some dismissing it as another fad.

MOOC is an online course which aims unlimited participation and open access via the web. The first MOOCs emerged from the Open Educational Resources (OER) movement.

The term MOOC was coined in 2008 by Dave Cormier of the University of Prince Edward Island in response to a course called Connectivism and Connective Knowledge (also known as CCK08). CCK08, which was led by George Siemens of Athabasca University and Stephen Downes of the National Research Council, consisted 25 tuition-paying students in Extended Education at the University of Manitoba, as well as over 2,200 online students from the general public who were studying free of cost.

This provides interactive user forums to support community interactions among students, professors, and teaching assistants. MOOCs are widely researched development in distance education introduced in the US in 2006 for the first time. It emerged as a popular mode of learning in 2012. According to The New York Times, 2012 became “The Year MOOC”.

MOOCs did not rely on posted resources, learning management systems, and video lectures. Instead it uses structures that mixed the learning management system with more open web resources. MOOCs are of two distinct types: one of them emphasises the connectivist philosophy and other resembles to more traditional courses. Stephen Downes proposed the terms “cMOOC” and “xMOOC” to distinguish in between them.

The principle on which cMOOCs are based is of connectivist pedagogy indicating that material should be aggregated rather than pre-selected, remixable, re-purposable and feeding forward. It tries to connect learners to each other to answer questions emphasising collaborative development of the MOOC.

MOOCs have a much more traditional course structure typically with a clearly specified syllabus of recorded lectures and self-test problems. The instructor is the expert provider of knowledge, and student interactions are usually limited to asking for assistance and advising each other on difficult points.

MOOCs are becoming popular as they offer university-level courses without the need to complete an entire programme of studies. Students get the opportunity to study high quality courses online with prestigious universities, often free of cost.

Users can select courses from any institution offering them independently. Video-based study offer interaction either through peer review and group collaboration or automated feedback through objective, online assessments.

EdX is a non-for-profit provider, created by Harvard and MIT universities. Now extended to the Australian National University, TU Delft (theNetherlands), and Rice, Berkeley and Georgetown universities in the US. Around the world, other MOOC providers include EduKart in India, ALISON in Ireland, and Aprentica in Latin America.

The reasons behind considering MOOC are:

i. Quality courses with low cost,

ii. Can be studied in combination with other work and

iii. Study resources are easily accessed from any computer at any location through web.

MOOCs can generate affective learning through four pathways or mechanisms:

Sharing instructor enthusiasm.
Discussion on controversial topics.

Exposure to diversity.

Experiencing innovative teaching approaches.

The disadvantages are that while most courses are free, some are fee-paying and videos are normally short, drop-out rates are high – up to 90%. These rates are marginally lower for paid-for courses. A reasonable degree of computer literacy is needed. Many of the MOOC users are graduates seeking to top up their skills and competences. MOOCs do not feed into a degree or other qualification but are self-contained. Only a few students complete the courses.

Content of MOOC offered by other country may not match the culture and condition of the home country of the student accessing the course.

Advantages of MOOCs over physical colleges and universities are-

Scaling up the course batch size is a few clicks away.
Thousands of young minds can be guided by an emeritus tutor.
Self-paced study enables student to study and learn at their own leisurely rate.
Online courses can help mitigate and remove all systemic barriers, thus truly making education a universally available resource.

Three of the most pressing critiques of an open learning system are (a) lack of an effective system to measure and validate the progress of the learners, (b) how to integrate the course credits into the present system so that it counts towards a degree from a college, and (c) how to ensure personalised guidance and mentorship.

However, all these are resolvable as having certain multiple choices questions at the end of each session to evaluate the understanding of the learner and a few universities have started launching their full-fledged courses online or allowing certain validated MOOCs to contribute credits to their physical courses.

In India, SWAYAM (Study Webs of Active-Learning for Young Aspiring Minds) was launched on 15 August 2016 which is an information technology platform. It aims at providing high quality education on various subjects from school level (class IX-XII) to under graduate and post graduate students, covering all disciplines is a new portal for MOOC. SWAYAM is a programme designed to achieve the three cardinal principles of Education Policy viz., access, equity and quality.

The objective of this effort is to take the best teaching learning resources to all, including the most disadvantaged. SWAYAM seeks to bridge the digital divide for students who have hitherto remained untouched by the digital revolution and have not been able to join the mainstream of the knowledge economy.

To ensure best quality content are produced and delivered, seven National Coordinators have been appointed. They are NPTEL for engineering, UGC for post-graduation education, CEC for under-graduate education, NCERT & NIOS for school education, IGNOU for out of the school students and IIMB for management studies.

SWAYAM platform is indigenously developed by Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) and All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) with the help of Microsoft and would be ultimately capable of hosting 2000 courses and 80,000 hours of learning: covering school, under-graduate, post-graduate, engineering, law and other professional courses.

It is thus anticipated that MOOCs impact is going to be felt strongly on the education system in India not only in improving standards and availability of quality education in all fields, on the click of a button but also granting affordability of learning science for students from rural background or colleges in remote areas with paucity of competent science instructors.

Dubai: World’s Education Hub

Article

By

Akash

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November 15, 2017

The Government of UAE is focusing on every opportunity to become a top-draw for international students — and Dubai, known for luxury shopping, ultramodern architecture and a lively nightlife scene, is taking the lead in this field as well, writes Dipen Pradhan of Elets News Network (ENN).

Dubai, the largest city of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), is today one of the fastest growing cities, gaining a strong pace in becoming the knowledge-based economy with Gross Domestic Product (GDP) projecting a growth of 3.5 per cent for 2018, says International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Known for providing “quality of life” and “standard of living” to its citizens abreast with world’s finest infrastructure, the city draws attention of thousands of expatriates with attractive job and business opportunities.

With a set of goals to become a global smart city, and an entrepreneurial and innovation hub —Dubai aims to emerge as world’s top “destination of choice” for education.

Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai, is making an endeavour to reform the education sector on par with global trends and best practices.

In the federal budget 2017-2021, the UAE Government allocated AED 10.2 billion for both public and private higher education, comprising 20.5 per cent of the total budget of AED 248 billion.

The UAE’s Ministry of Education has also introduced the 10-year development strategy 2010-20 to provide students a high-quality curriculum and excellent teaching along with improved student life, affordable and high-quality education.

Similarly, Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed, laying the foundation for the future Dubai, launched the ‘UAE Centennial 2071 Plan’ —in which the education has been given a top priority.

The UAE secured the top position in the Global School Ranking – 2015, among the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region and 45 worldwide. The report compiled by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), published every three years, was based on test scores in math and science among 15-year-olds in 76 countries, highlighting the link between education and economic growth.

The British Council has also recognised UAE as one of the best countries for its “Support of International Higher Education” among 38 countries. It further ranked the country second for “Quality assurance and Degree recognition” and fifth for “Openness and Mobility” categories. The literacy rate of UAE is at 93.8 per cent, according to the UNDP report.

Dubai, Home to International Schools

International schools in the Middle East countries have witnessed 7.8 per cent increase in the number of students aged 3 to 18 from September 2015 to September 2016, according to ISC Research. The Research further suggests the UAE leading the world with 593 international schools for 3 and 18-year-olds with 600,000 students enrollment.

The Government of UAE is taking every chance in becoming a top-draw for international students —and Dubai is taking the lead. Dubai is currently home to 283 international schools —including kindergarten, primary and secondary schools.

The international students in Higher Education schools in the city currently add 30 per cent to the total higher education students, growing steadily at 10 percent annually —according to Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), an education regulation body of Dubai.

During the 2016-2017 academic year, 27 international branch campuses from 12 countries were operating in Dubai —including UK, Australia, India, US, Russia, Austria, Lebanon, Pakistan, Iran, France, Canada, and Ireland.

The Government is investing significantly in equipping schools and colleges, in both public and private, with smart devices.

From a traditional way of education to conventional, Dubai schools are adopting e-learning and virtual classrooms method of education. Various schools have adopted this global method of learning to assign tasks, set collaborative learning experiences, share learning resources.

Many e-learning platforms have emerged —offering students virtual classes online that include screencasts from teachers, multimedia presentations, as well as live sessions —conducting exams along with issuing reports.

The schools and colleges offer a wide variety of quality courses in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), including a pool of international subject experts, and a host of comprehensive scholarship programmes.

Study Expenditure in Dubai

Unlike other cities in the Middle East, Dubai schools are far from suffering the impact of expatriate student departure —credit to its diverse economy, ISC reports.

When it comes to the cost of studying at international schools in Dubai, it is perhaps —and not surprisingly —the most expensive city in the Middle East.

Private school fees in Dubai start from about AED 2,500, or about US $ 690, per month. The fees vary, depending upon KHDA inspection rating, location, curriculum, track record, and facilities.

The most expensive school in the UAE starts from the bracket of AED 83,000 (US $22,600) for pre-kindergarten to AED 130,000 (US $35,400) for Grades 11 and 12.

Rise of Home Schooling in Dubai

Due to many reasons, with one being the varying education cost in city’s schools, Dubai has been witnessing a spike in home schooling.

For UAE nationals, the Ministry of Education mandates children attend school through at least the age of 16. The authorities provide a set of curriculum for home schooling for Emiratis, but there is no such regulation of home schooling for the expatriate population. However, the KHDA recommends using the curriculum that is licensed and accredited in their respective home country.

Thinking Futuristic Dubai Nurtures 10 X Dream

Article

By

Akash

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November 14, 2017

In a bid to stay at least 10 years ahead of rest of the world, the Government of United Arab Emirates has launched an initiative 10X, Akash Tomer of Elets News Network (ENN) explores what is the meaning of various aspects of the initiative.

UAE’s Vice President and Prime Minister His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum called on all Government entities of Dubai to embrace disruptive innovation as a fundamental mantra for their operations and to seek ways to incorporate its methodologies in all aspects of their work.

Disruptive innovation refers to exploiting available technologies to deliver new or existing services in radically different ways that are Design-Thinking-based and customer-focused, in contrast to incremental innovation (What is this), which focuses on making services better for existing customers. Instead, disruptive innovation will create new operating and business models that replace traditional services and provide multiple times the value for end users and customers.

The Dubai 10X has put the Government of Dubai on a mission to be 10 years ahead of all other cities of the world, hence the name 10X (with X symbolizing experimental, out-of-the-box future oriented exponential thinking).

Placing Dubai 10X in context, Sheikh Hamdan said the future belongs to those who affect radical changes, not those who make minor, gradual improvements. “The future will not be as patient with us as the present. Today, I am calling on all government leaders and employees to embrace disruptive innovation and find new, creative and truly disruptive approaches and technologies to delivering their mission rather than incremental and minor improvements. We are a young and energetic government who want to be leaders in disruptive innovation and technology.”

X-Units for each government entity

The first requirement is for every government entity to set up – and staff with adequate resources – an independent X-Unit mandated with the objective of finding ways to disrupt their own organisation’s practices and develop their own moon-shot solutions to deliver beyond their mission.

Trial and scale radically disruptive organisational structures, systems and technologies:

The second requirement is for government entities to develop systems, processes and labs to trial and scale radically disruptive technologies and approaches to deliver on their respective missions. This plan will also need to involve reviewing and reconsidering the traditional organizational structure and hierarchies of government organizations and finding new structures that facilitate creative innovation and disruption.

Partnering with and facilitating disruptive solutions, removing regulatory obstacles:

The third requirement is to develop processes and methodologies that will allow each Dubai government entity to work with truly disruptive companies and start-ups that radically offer better services or allow Dubai’s residents to lead a happier life. Regulatory obstacles facing such disruptive companies should also be removed to allow for their uninterrupted operations.

Coding Initiative: One Million Arab Coders

Article

By

Akash

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November 14, 2017

Coding is emerging as the new literacy alongside Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). “One Million Arab Coders” envisaged to train youths with the emerging technological skills —helping youths to become more creative and innovative, writes Dipen Pradhan of Elets News Network (ENN).

Coding is increasingly dominating the world. With the use of IT in education being widely acknowledged across schools to prepare students to become competent with emerging technological trends, several countries are starting to introduce coding —the base of creating software, website, or an app —in the curricula from the age five.

It is emerging as the new literacy alongside Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) —helping students become more creative, innovative, and inventors. Even in IT jobs including data scientists, front-end Web developers, software engineers, app developers, website programmers —regarded as the most future-proof jobs —coding is the foundation.

The Government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is making a substantial effort to ensure Arab youths are equipped with software coding and programming skill.

Last month, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched “One Million Arab Coders” — an online learning platform (www.arabcoders.ae) —to help youth score jobs in the market where coding skill is widely in demand. The courses have been scheduled to start from January 2018 spanning up to three to six months.

“Coding will create many opportunities for young people to seize; paving the way for them to be part of the global economy —working from home,” wrote Sheikh Mohammed on his official Instagram page. The online learning platform is providing courses on any of the four categories: Full-stack website development, android app development, data analyst specialist, and training on skills to become a front-end Web expert. An expert in the aforementioned field can also join as tutors.

Website Development

The skill of a Web developer is the most sought-after skill. According to PayScale dot com, an entry-level Web developer in Dubai earns an average salary of AED 69,939, or around US $19,041, per year. In UAE, more than 90 per cent of the country’s population uses the internet.

In a country with such a huge penetration of online users, it has become rudimentary for any business to develop a website.

The most common types of the website found on the World Wide Web (www) are Commercial, Non-Profit, Government, Personal, Entertainment, News, Educational, and Social Media. Although there are several Web design languages (coding) to choose from, the most common are Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Hypertext Preprocessor (PHP), Adobe ColdFusion, Java Server Pages (JSP), Cascade Style Sheets (CSS) etc. The popular website hosting companies worldwide include Bluehost, iPage, eHost, inmotion hosting, HostGator, etc., also providing Domain Name registration service.

ArabCoders is providing aspirants training on social networks, knowledge on video platforms along with building e-commerce sites.

Android app development

Android is an operating system developed by Google for touchscreen devices like smartphones and tablets.

Google’s Google Play store is the major distribution channel for android mobile applications. As of June 2017, the heterogeneous collection of Android apps on Google Play Store reached three million, according to Statistica. In UAE, where 80 per cent of the total internet users is smartphone users —according to TRA —the country thrives with companies involved in the development of mobile apps. ArabCoders says to provide all the material needed to develop an Android mobile app and turn ideas into innovation.

This Nanodegree envisages to empower Arab youths with all the skills they need to develop Android mobile apps.

Data Analyst Specialist

Every business collects data; be it for market research, sales, logistics, measuring profit, etc. It plays an important role in measuring the growth of a business. Data analysts collect, process and perform statistical analyses of data and use it to help a business make better decisions. An individual specialising in this field has an acquired knowledge of database languages such as Excel, SQL, R, and Tableau.

According to PayScale dot com, a data analyst earns an average salary of AED 109,680, or US $29,861, per year. ArabCoders is offering courses to train them with all the required data analytical skills.

Front-end Web expert

While web designers work on the appearance or designing the website, front-end developers implement the website on the web. For instance, the front-end developers ensure that the website is free of errors, as well as making sure that the design appears same across various platforms and browsers. The expert in this field has skills with languages (coding) such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, etc. ArabCoders course is offering youths to build beautiful, responsive web and mobile interfaces, along with all the crafts required and in-depth developer track.

The initiative to create one million Arab coders is a project by the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI) foundation, dedicated to spreading education and knowledge.

The reasons behind considering MOOC are:

i. Quality courses with low cost,

ii. Can be studied in combination with other work and

iii. Study resources are easily accessed from any computer at any location through web.

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