Got Talent is one of the most popular TV series of the last several years, broadcasted on hundreds of channels around the world. It has captured the interest of all of those who are gifted with a talent—and even many that aren’t. The concept started in the UK by host Simon Cowell, although it was America’s Got Talent that cemented the show as an international platform for singers, dancers, musicians, magicians, comedians, and other performers of all ages.

In a recent move to bring the series closer to local audiences, MBC group has partnered with the Got Talent franchise in order to give the Arab world the chance to show off their talents to a wider public. Casting calls are being made in the month of March and are open to peoples of all ages and all backgrounds (provided they can speak Arabic).

In previous seasons of the Got Talent show, we have seen acts that have both horrified and amazed audiences, with judges screaming everything from rude obscenities to YES YOU CAN! Notable acts like Susan Boyle—who was mocked the moment she was on stage—broke all conventions after just a few seconds on stage, leaving the crowd’s eyes wide open and jaws dropped from her incredible voice. Maybe one of you out there can do the same…

During the first season of Arabs Got Talent, which will be aired on MBC4, the public can register online and will be chosen accordingly by talent and availabilities. From heartfelt performances to hilarious gags, we can’t wait to see who’s got talent in the Arab world!

Get on stage at http://riyadhciti.com/2010/02/arabs-got-talent/.

As more and more expats migrate to the UAE, its only natural that some of their native institutions follow suit. The New York Film Academy in Abu Dhabi is just one example of the many renowned educational bodies that has come to the capital in the past couple of years to train those interested in the world of media and film.

The New York Film Academy (NYFA) was founded on the philosophy that “learning by doing” combined with best industry practices is more valuable than years of theoretical study for filmmakers and actors. This educational model allows students to achieve more in less time than at all other acting and film schools in the world.

The New York Film Academy is honored to be the acting and film school of choice of many Hollywood filmmakers and actors who have sent a son or daughter to study with them. They include Steven Spielberg, Al Pacino, Robert Downey Jr., Jamie Foxx, and even Bono from U2!

NYFA’s accelerated two year fine arts degree are structured for students who want intensive training from award winning faculty using professional facilities and equipment starting their first day of classes; better preparing them for a career in motion picture and entertainment industries.

For those that are considering college or looking to sharpen their skills, the film schools and acting schools offer evening filmmaking workshops, and acting workshops. The academy also hosts summer film camps and acting camps throughout the world that are designed for high school students.

If you were here ten years ago, something like this would sound like a far off dream (in fact it was for many aspiring film students). With institutes like twofour54 and NYFA growing, plus the newest CNN international headquarters being established in the capital, the sky is the limit for those looking to break into the biz in the UAE capital.

Dubai, March 11, 2010: Kate Adie addresses an auditorium of 300 media studies students at Cambridge International School (CIS(, part of the GEMS Education network of schools. The renowned journalist and former correspondent for BBC News tells students memorable war stories, and that no story is worth dying for. “If you go to the extent to die in getting a story, then you fail as a journalist because you don’t get the story out, journalism is about retelling the story to the world,” Adie said. She also told budding journalists in the audience that they have got to be curious, energetic, interested in everything and adaptable, to become successful journalists.

Got Talent is one of the most popular TV series of the last several years, broadcasted on hundreds of channels around the world. It has captured the interest of all of those who are gifted with a talent—and even many that aren’t. The concept started in the UK by host Simon Cowell, although it was America’s Got Talent that cemented the show as an international platform for singers, dancers, musicians, magicians, comedians, and other performers of all ages.

In a recent move to bring the series closer to local audiences, MBC group has partnered with the Got Talent franchise in order to give the Arab world the chance to show off their talents to a wider public. Casting calls are being made in the month of March and are open to peoples of all ages and all backgrounds (provided they can speak Arabic).

In previous seasons of the Got Talent show, we have seen acts that have both horrified and amazed audiences, with judges screaming everything from rude obscenities to YES YOU CAN! Notable acts like Susan Boyle—who was mocked the moment she was on stage—broke all conventions after just a few seconds on stage, leaving the crowd’s eyes wide open and jaws dropped from her incredible voice. Maybe one of you out there can do the same…

During the first season of Arabs Got Talent, which will be aired on MBC4, the public can register online and will be chosen accordingly by talent and availabilities. From heartfelt performances to hilarious gags, we can’t wait to see who’s got talent in the Arab world!

Get on stage at http://riyadhciti.com/2010/02/arabs-got-talent/.

- Felicia Jesslyn, GEMS World Academy student chosen as Maths Ambassador for the UAE
- Annual maths competition held on the first Wednesday in March all over the world
- More than 500 Gems World Academy students compete in live online quizzes

Dubai, March 8, 2010: 15 year old Felicia Jesslyn from GEMS World Academy (GWA) has been selected as the UAE’s World Maths Day Ambassador. World Maths Day is an international annual online mathematics competition, held on the first Wednesday in March every year, and Felicia’s job has been to encourage students to take part. 

GWA was selected, over all of the schools in the UAE to have a representative student to be the UAE ambassador.  Felicia was selected by the World Maths Day committee for her aptitude, logic and arithmetic capabilities.

Caroline Parker, Head of Mathematics at GWA said, “We are so proud of Felicia at school! Her hard work and dedication has paid off and we believe that her role as an international maths ambassador will open up many opportunities for her future”.

World Maths Day is the world’s largest education event with 2.5 million students, aged 6 to 18, participating from over 200 countries. In 2009, 1,952,879 students took part from 204 countries, correctly answering 452,681,681 questions. There are three age categories for students, 8 years and under, 9 to 13 years, and 14 to 18 years of age.

To promote awareness about the day Felicia visited a number of GEMS Schools and discussed the importance of taking part in the competitions. She also blogged with other ambassadors from around the world, sharing all the activities her school was planning. 
 
With Felicia’s support more than 500 students from GWA, from kindergarten to year 11, anxiously took part in the World Maths Day celebrations. The day, which originated in 2006 in Australia, is the world’s largest single educational event in which students from all over the world participate in online maths quizzes over the course of 48 hours. Students compete live with students of the same age and ability level from around the world, in mental arithmetic challenges in which they have to answer as many questions correctly as possible. 

Parker also said:  “It is very exciting to be part of an event that brings together maths enthusiasts from all over the world and puts their knowledge to the test at the same time. By placing maths in a fun and competitive format, the competition is changing the way children perceive mental arithmetic and problem solving and encourages more students to look at maths as a field of study. The school was in full swing preparing for the contest and math teachers across all grades took time to prepare the students for the challenge.”

Potential university students encouraged to pursue national growth through cultural pride & creative thinking

March 3, 2010

ALHOSN University, a leading Abu Dhabi-based university dedicated to high-quality and value-based education, affirmed its commitment to supporting the Abu Dhabi Educational Council’s (ADEC) five-year development plan during its annual “Open Day” held today (Wednesday, March 3, 2010) at the Ground Floor of its Male Campus from 9 am to 2 pm.

Last year, ADEC outlined a comprehensive plan to develop the local educational sector by focusing on multiple factors such as human resources, technology, leadership, communication with society members, students’ assessment, and school environment. ALHOSN explained its methods for promoting development in these areas to visitors and prospective students. University departments set up booths showcasing their programs, courses, activities, and student projects, while an on-site tour was conducted to introduce key personnel and visit major facilities. Special packages such as free Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) assessments were also offered.

“I often encourage those interested in joining ALHOSN’s family to share our goal of upholding the UAE’s rich tradition while fostering a culture of creative thinking and global awareness. Our annual Open Day enables us to send this message across while affirming our active participation in the emirate’s long-term educational development goals. This year’s event is particularly special as it coincides with our 5th anniversary. We once again invite the youth of Abu Dhabi who want to make a difference to join us in pursuing our vision of global growth with local vision,” said Ghada Qabha, Director of Student Affairs, ALHOSN University.

ALHOSN University was founded in 2005 and offers its 11 undergraduate and 7 graduate programs in three faculties to students of all nationalities. The University’s City Campus includes the Men’s Campus, the Women’s Campus, a Library, a Lecture building, Engineering Labs, and a Studio Building. ALHOSN recently marked its 5th year with a Gala Dinner attended by prominent government and media personalities which celebrated its emergence as one of Abu Dhabi’s top educational service providers.

Company participates under the theme ‘NextGen Libraries’ to showcase latest library technologies at the event 

March 02, 2010

Edutech, a leading educational solutions provider in the region, has announced today (March 02, 2010) its partnership with Qidenus Technologies, an Austria based company specialising in tailor-made solutions for mass digitisation projects, at the ‘16th Annual Conference of the Special Libraries Association Arabian Gulf Chapter’ (SLA-AGC) 2010, a regional gathering for library and information sciences professionals across GCC.

The agreement was recently inked by ASF Karim, CEO, Edutech and Dr. Elisabeth Pohl, International Business Development, Qidenus Technologies. In addition to the announcement of the new partnership, Edutech is also showcasing the newest integrated library system, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), electronic resource management, and digital translation tools at the conference. Furthermore, the company is showcasing its latest content offerings, which cover areas such as engineering, humanities and arts, science, business and news.

“The ‘SLA-AGC 2010’ Conference and Exhibition presents us with an excellent opportunity to exhibit our wide range of solutions specifically designed for libraries, and announce our most recent partnership with Qidenus Technologies, which underline our continuous growth as the leading educational solutions provider in the region” said ASF Karim, CEO, Edutech. “In addition, we are pleased to launch the ‘Robotic Book Scanner Pro TT’ at this event, and we are confident that this new technology will provide outstanding benefits to libraries in their digitisation projects. We are confident of a successful participation similar to last year.”

“We are impressed with the extent of potential customers we are connecting with in this event, and we are very confident that our latest product will generate strong interest among library administrators and academic institutions all throughout the exhibition. We consider this as one of the early successes of our partnership with Edutech, and we have high expectations that our collaboration will result in further growth for our products in the region,” said Dr. Elisabeth Pohl, International Business Development, Qidenus Technologies

Through the years, the annual ‘SLA-AGC’ Conference & Exhibition brings together leading academic institutions and decision makers from across the GCC to connect to a very large and active network of information professionals and solution providers. This year’s conference will be conducted under the theme ‘Virtual Knowledge in Information Institutions: Issues and Perspectives’, and will bring to the region an exhibit of the latest information resources and technologies. Edutech’s continuing presence at the event is being driven by the event’s capability to connect the company with customers and prospects as well as the excellent venue it offers for showcasing new and existing products in Edutech’s portfolio.

“Our participation in ‘SLA-AGC’ Conference & Exhibition has always been motivated by our commitment to promoting next generation libraries, and meeting new publishers. Gaining the opportunity to showcase our solutions at this event enables us to push these goals even further. This year, we will be focusing on our latest offerings in the information space as well as in creating awareness for our new partners and mileage for our existing partners,” concluded Raghavendra Manbol, Head of Information Solutions, Edutech

Dubai, UAE; 1 March, 2010: The Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology (EIAST) is a key sponsor of World Space Risk Forum 2010 being held until March 3, 2010, in Dubai. This is part of strategic direction of EIAST to promote the space industry in the United Arab Emirates.

World Space Risk Forum brings together space business leaders from around the world to exchange ideas and develop solutions of mutual interest in the risk management and insurance of space risks. Four key areas are being discussed: Technical Developments in the Space Industry; Impact of the Global Economy on the Space Industry; Legal and Regulatory Environment within the Space Industry and Outlook over the next three decades for the Space Industry.

“The support to World Space Risk Forum, a key event for information exchange on space technologies, highlights the aspiration of EIAST to develop the space sector in the UAE and establish the global credentials of the emirate in the space industry,” said His Excellency Mr Ahmed Al Mansoori, Director General of EIAST, said.

He added: “Hosting the event in Dubai reflects the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to establish space industries, advanced technologies and modern communications and drive the socio-economic growth of the emirate.”

EIAST focuses on four main scientific programs: Space, Astronomy, Energy, and Environment and water research. EIAST launched DubaiSat-1, the UAE’s first remote sensing satellite, to outer space and has begun work on the specifications for its third satellite, DubaiSat-3, even as work on DubaiSat-2 continues at full pace for its potential launch by end of 2012.

GETEX Dubai’s HRD & Training Forum to discuss critical issues in Middle East’s HR agenda

March 1, 2010

GETEX Dubai 2010, the Middle East and Asia’s leading education, training and professional development event, has revealed that issues concerning Emiratisation will be one of the biggest challenges of HR professionals at the start of the new decade as the UAE Government intensifies its efforts to integrate the increasing number of local graduates into the UAE workforce, particularly in the private sector. Up to 80 per cent of UAE nationals work in the public sector primarily because of more attractive salaries, more conducive working hours and job security, while GETEX Dubai also noted that unemployment among Emiratis currently stands at around 12 per cent according to figures from the International Council on Security and Development.

GETEX Dubai has pointed out the need for HR professionals to be fully aware of the issues, challenges and opportunities linked to the ongoing drive for nationalisation in the UAE, as part of the changing focus of HR departments from pure administrative and risk functions to a more strategic outlook. In this regard, GETEX Dubai has announced that Emiratisation will serve as one of the key topics to be discussed by leading industry professionals at the HRD & Training Forum, one of the segments of GETEX Dubai 2010, which will be held from April 14 to 17 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The Forum will present an ideal platform for HRD and training service providers to showcase their services to conference delegates and speakers. The opening day of the Forum will focus on addressing issues in nationalisation and will feature regional case studies from leading companies and best practices from HR leaders who have successfully developed nationalisation programs, while government officials will be present to outline the initiatives and the business benefits for recruiting nationals in the private sector. Forum speakers and facilitators during the first-day discussions include senior officials of government agencies and directors of nationalisation programs from various private sector companies.

Innovative practices on global HRD, training best practices and other topical issues will be discussed during the second day of the Forum. Activities will particularly focus on the latest cost-effective initiatives that can be easily implemented in any organisation such as in-house coaching and performance metrics. Renowned HR specialists and consultants from the USA and the UAE have been enlisted to serve as keynote speakers and facilitators on day two of the Forum.

Anselm Godinho, Managing Director, International Conferences & Exhibitions (IC&E), organisers of the event, said: “As new challenges continue to emerge, business organisations now aggressively optimise performance and productivity across all levels of the corporate hierarchy. HR departments, in particular, are now given greater responsibility to develop strategic HR programs and solutions that deliver concrete business value. Moreover, in light of the government’s growing focus on Emiratisation, HR has now become a crucial link in the process of integrating a growing number of UAE nationals into the job market, particularly in the private sector.”

“It is therefore critical for HR practitioners as well as corporate organisations to be fully aware of the new trends and best practices that are reshaping the local and regional HR landscape. The HRD & Training Forum of GETEX Dubai 2010 will provide the perfect platform for HR professionals, industry analysts and senior corporate executives to dissect the most important issues and establish new benchmarks in the HR industry,” added Godinho.

The high-profile speakers attending the HRD & Training Forum include Fatma Al Hashimi, Head of Employer Relations, Tanmia, who will discuss the topic “Evaluation Of The Latest Emiratisation Rules And Regulations And What This Means For Business”; Wissam Hachem, Head of Emiratisation & Corporate Development, Etihad Airways, who will present a case study on “Graduate Management Development Programme: Bringing A Continuous Flow Of Talented Emiratis Into Your Organisation”; Abdulrahman Saqr, Head of Emiratisation at Lloyds TSB, who will talk about “Developing HR Best Practices In Line With Cultural Awareness”; and Nigel Jeremy, Head of Learning and Organisation Development, Marks and Spencer, UK, who will feature a case study on “Developing a Successful Talent Management Strategy”.

University to reaffirm commitment to society, the environment, & the educational sector

February 28, 2010

ALHOSN University, a leading Abu Dhabi-based university dedicated to high-quality and value-based education, will be hosting a Gala Dinner today (Sunday, February 28, 2010) to celebrate its 5th anniversary. The event will be held at the Beach Rotana Hotel in Abu Dhabi and will be preceded by a media appreciation session at ALHOSN’s Male Campus.

During the dinner, ALHOSN will reaffirm its commitment to address the needs of society, raise awareness on critical environmental issues, and maintain its leadership in the educational field. Employees who have significantly contributed to the achievement of ALHOSN’s goals will also be honored. Prominent Arab media personality Mrs. Nashwa Al Ruwaini, CEO & Board Member of Pyramedia, and Former Executive Director and Current Board Member of The Middle East International Film Festival, has been invited as a guest speaker. Mrs. Ruwani has been included among the “30 Awesome Women” list published by the Arabian Woman Magazine.  The Gala Dinner’s program will also include a raffle draw and a drum show.

To be held under the theme “5 Years: Promoting Excellence”, the special gathering will outline ALHOSN’s major achievements, such as partnerships with distinguished organizations such as the UAE Society of Engineers and the 7i Institute, expansion of national and international presence through active participation in high-profile events such as the Najah educational expo, GETEX Dubai, and the international conference organized by the Illinois Institute of Technology Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, and promotion of women’s broader participation in technical fields through events such as the First Annual Women in Engineering Event in the UAE.

“We would not have attained this level of success in a span of five years if not for the hard work and commitment of our community members, our dedicated staff and professors, and our visionary management. Our students are at the core of our motivation, and so I would like to acknowledge their inspirational role as well. I would also like to extend the University’s gratitude to our partner organizations, the media, the local government especially the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, and the public. You are all in our thoughts as we celebrate our fifth year,” said Dr. Abdul Rahim Sabouni, Vice Chancellor of ALHOSN University.

ALHOSN University began its 5th Academic Year in 2009 by opening a new Studio Building, augmenting its workforce, and launching an upgraded version of its website and online portal. The university upholds its philosophy of ‘Global Knowledge with Local Vision’ throughout its three faculties. ALHOSN’s eleven undergraduate and seven graduate programs are accredited by the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research and are open to students of all nationalities.