18 August 2010, Manama:  Global education experts are to get a glimpse into the ‘classroom of the future’ at a forthcoming summit in Bahrain, it was announced today.

Ewan McIntosh

The use of technology and entertainment to improve learning outcomes is just one topic for debate at The Education Project where leading international figures from academia, business and politics will convene to advance the global education system.  The forum is held each year in the Kingdom, having been founded under the initiative of His Royal Highness Prince Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince of Bahrain and Chairman of the Kingdom’s Economic Development Board (EDB).  This year’s event is less than two months away (8-10 October) and features a ‘live experiment’ showcasing technologies that may boost engagement in a futuristic learning environment.

Ewan McIntosh, Director at NoTosh Digital Media & Education in Scotland, is among a high-profile list of speakers at the event.  He said: “In the 1980s, a text book might have been the best way to share expertise but now there is a whole world that lets students learn at the click of a mouse.  We learn by sharing and talking, not by staying in classrooms with the door shut.  We have to get out in the world and that does not always mean field trips; now it is out in the blogosphere.  Everyone involved with a child’s learning needs to understand the ways they are engaged.  Parents have to be engaged too, and understand the changes in the classroom since their day.  In today’s world, that means being open to the possibilities of game-based learning – such as using Wii Fit and Guitar Hero – as launch pads into subjects such as maths, physics and geography.”

Educators anticipate that scientific advances in understanding more about how the brain works will allow them to shape a more effective learning environment in the future.  With it will come enhanced opportunities for individualised teaching to better engage with – and meet the specific needs of – each student.

Cindy Johanson, Executive Director of The George Lucas Educational Foundation, has more than 20 years experience in the design and expansion of digital services with a focus on education and engagement.  She added: “In light of extraordinary advancements in how we interact with each other, our system of education has been frustratingly slow to adapt.  One of the important goals of The Education Project 2010 in Bahrain is to share real world examples of how teachers and students are using technology to enable new ways of teaching and learning.”

Shaikh Mohammed bin Essa Al Khalifa, Chief Executive of the EDB which is organising this year’s conference, added: “Our world’s uncertainties can only be countered with action for the future.  Our goal in Bahrain with The Education Project is to unite the world’s educators in a common goal – the continuous and active improvement of education.  It is crucial for our collective future that nations work together to meet the economic and social challenges of today and tomorrow’s world.”

The Education Project is free to attend for educational professionals from all sectors as well as from public and private sector institutions with an interest in developing new models and standards in education.  Entry is by invitation only; for more information and to register online visit: www.educationprojectbahrain.org

- LEADING EDUCATORS TO TAKE STAGE AT EDUCATION PROJECT, BAHRAIN -

21 July 2010, Manama:  Leading education experts from the Middle East are among an elite list set to address a global education summit in Bahrain this October, it was announced today.

The second occasion of the annual event – initiated by His Royal Highness Prince Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince of Bahrain and Chairman of the Kingdom’s Economic Development Board (EDB) – runs from 8-10 October.  Joining speakers from Harvard University, the European Commission, 10 Downing Street and Microsoft at the Education Project 2010 are: 

 HE Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, United Arab Emirates (UAE)
 Azza El-Shinnawy, Education Lead, Public Sector, Gulf, Microsoft, UAE
 Mona Mourshed, Partner Middle East, McKinsey & Company, UAE
 Natasha Ridge, Research Fellow, Dubai School of Government, UAE
 Ralph Tabberer, Chief School Officer, GEMS, UAE
 Osama Obeidat, Head of Monitoring and Evaluation, Jordan Education Initiative, Jordan
 Mary Tadros, Educational Advisor, Queen Rania Teacher Academy, Jordan
 Danah Dajani, Director, Madrasati Initiative, Jordan
 Huda Al-Ghoson, General Manager, Training and Development, Aramco, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Shaikh Mohammed bin Essa Al Khalifa, Chief Executive of the EDB which is organising the event, said: “Education is the single most important factor in bringing stability, productivity and prosperity to all societies.  Our goal in Bahrain in establishing the Education Project was to bring together an international community of educators.  To have such experts from the region on board – to offer their expertise in identifying practical solutions to address the gap in the global education system – will help to ensure a platform from which to further inspire positive change.”

Despite increased government spending, education outcomes worldwide have declined over time.  The Education Project was established to share best practice and create a practical approach that educators can follow to make a difference.  Hundreds of professionals from 36 countries joined together last year.

Ralph Tabberer, Chief School Officer, GEMS (UAE) returns to the event having last year commented: “It is barely ten years since small groups of highly-motivated academics and scientists had to get together in small groups, alone and unheard, to call for greater interest in global warming and green solutions. Now, there is no world leader who dares ignore the issues. We need to make the same transformation in our thinking about education. Let us debate not just where education needs to go, but how we put this top of the agenda for every government, worldwide.”

The event is free to attend for educational professionals from all sectors as well as from public and private sector institutions with an interest in developing new models and standards in education.  Entry is by invitation only; for more information and to register online visit: www.educationprojectbahrain.org

- OVER 20,000 JOB ENTRANTS & EMPLOYEES TARGETED BY END-2009 -

27 June 2010, Manama:  The Chief Executive of Bahrain’s Economic Development Board (EDB) today commended Tamkeen after the organisation announced its investment in human capital had targeted over 20,000 job entrants and employees by end-2009.

Shaikh Mohammed bin Essa Al Khalifa’s comments follow the publication of Tamkeen’s Annual Report, which shows its private sector support programmes had supported 3,212 enterprises by the close of the year.  Some 27,560 job entrants and employees have been targeted for specialised training through its human capital development programmes.  And thousands more have benefited through a number of approved enterprise and career development programmes.

He said: “The large number of beneficiaries enrolled in Tamkeen’s programmes reflects its commitment to enabling a prosperous future for Bahrain and important role in achieving the ambitions of Vision 2030.  This investment in human resources – and in cultivating the growth of the private sector – is crucial for the Kingdom’s continued and sustainable economic growth.”

The EDB – which is leading Bahrain’s Vision 2030 and creating the right climate to attract foreign investment – launched labour market reforms in 2004 under the guidance of His Royal Highness Prince Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince of Bahrain and Chairman of the EDB.  This has led to the establishment of Tamkeen  to equip Bahrain’s highly-skilled young workforce with the relevant skills to enable them to seek better opportunities to elevate the national living standards in line with Bahrain’s Vision 2030.

Since 2007, Tamkeen has helped to enable the private sector and empower people, talent, careers, systems and cultures.  The organisation has supported initiatives aimed at improving the labour and capital productivity of Bahraini businesses.  And through programmes to help Bahrainis advance professionally, it is helping to ensure that an even greater number of the Kingdom’s growing and increasingly diverse national workforce become the employees of choice for international businesses locating in Bahrain as the gateway to the trillion dollar Gulf market.

H.E. the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Tamkeen’s Chairman Dr. Nezar bin Sadiq Al Baharna added:  “Our alignment to the Kingdom’s Economic Vision 2030 cements our goals and signifies the important role that we play in its realisation.  Our mission now is to empower Bahrainis according to market requirements and build enterprise capabilities in order to contribute to the expansion of the national economy.  A skilled workforce and an empowered private sector is another added value to all the other attractions for investing in Bahrain”

An estimated 100,000 young people will join the Bahrain workforce over the next 10 years.  Among them will be an ever increasing number of university graduates and women seeking highly skilled positions.  The Kingdom’s business sector is already supported by the most productive, well-educated and highly skilled national workforce in the GCC, a key factor in attracting multinational companies.

Bahrain has consistently invested in education and skills-attainment in line with the requirements of international business.  Tamkeen’s own 2010-2014 Strategy aims to ensure the Kingdom’s human capital is more productive, effective and responsive for a more competitive private sector.

Doha, 21 June 2010 – IBQ announced today the start of its summer internship programme open to high school and undergraduate students in Qatar. Students will be enrolled across the different divisions of the bank and will be mentored in the different activities including retail, corporate, treasury, credit, corporate communications and HR.

IBQ’ summer internship programme underlines the bank’s commitment to the education of young people in the country by offering the opportunity for students to gain and master first-hand, real work experience in banking and finance.

IBQ has been successfully running the summer internship programme for 5 consecutive years in line with the bank’s other education and training commitments including its home-grown Qatari Development Programme, further education scholarship funds in addition to a range of in-house training programmes in leadership and other business skills.

The 2009 season of IBQ’s summer internship programme attracted over 40 eager students from across the nation who rotated the various departments of the bank.

Amal Al Sada, Head of HR at IBQ said: “As a leading institution in Qatar, IBQ is pro-actively focused on spearheading and spreading long-term educational and awareness programmes for the welfare of the community and with a particular interest in young people. At IBQ, we are determined to build tailor-made programmes that will fill an educational need and boost the well-being of the community through engagement with its members. Our yearly summer internship programme, together with other internally developed programmes, is an example of the plethora of efforts and initiatives led by the bank to harness the enthusiasm and educational aspirations of young people in Qatar.”

“As a conscious corporate citizen, we have a vested interest in building a productive and a knowledge-based economy as we firmly believe that nurturing young talent is the cornerstone of success for our business and other corporate organizations. At IBQ, we aspire to be not only the Bank of Choice in Qatar but also an Employer of Choice.”

Move part of initiatives to further develop Saudi tourism sector

June 20, 2010

A delegation from Elaf Group of Hotels recently visited the Kingdom of Bahrain to introduce its Hajj and Umrah services. The Group hosted 120 representatives from a number of local travel agencies with the aim of highlighting special services and facilities such as ticket reservations and hotel accommodation to pilgrims travelling to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Commenting on the visit, Ziyad Ahmed Bin Mahfouz, CEO of Elaf Group, said: “This visit is in line with our efforts to enhance cooperation with leading travel and tourism companies of the Kingdom of Bahrain. We introduced the wide range of high-level services provided by Elaf Group and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as a whole, emphasizing the areas of travel, hospitality and tourism with particular focus on tourism for religious goals.”

Reda Nasri Al Jazeeri, General manager of Elaf Assalam Hotel (Makkah), a part of Elaf Group, said: “Our trip intended to enhance ties and develop mutual relations with companies specialising in Hajj and Umrah services in the Kingdom of Bahrain. It is of particular importance as the Bahrain market offers huge potential and there are facilities of mutual benefit to our countries, such as the waiving of visa requirements for bilateral travel. We gave a comprehensive presentation on our services and the nature of the facilities and hotels under the Elaf umbrella to Bahrain agencies catering to Hajj and Umrah.”

“We want to further promote the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as a leading tourist destination in the region and contribute to the development of its tourism activities, whether they involve entertainment, business, meetings or conferences, or religious observances. We want to fully support this vital industry’s role in diversifying the Saudi economy for the long-term. We will focus on achieving our main goal of providing high-quality products and services that meet the requirements of our clients from various targeted markets such as Bahrain,” added Bin Mahfouz.

“During our visit to Bahrain we discussed our hotel management practices to local Umrah companies and introduced our plan to develop tourism in the Kingdom through the continuous support provided by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz, may God protect him,” concluded Bin Mahfouz.

- SHAIKH MOHAMMED IN CNBC INTERVIEW FROM NEW YORK -

10 June 2010, Manama:  The trillion dollar Gulf can create opportunities for US companies, Shaikh Mohammed bin Essa Al Khalifa, Chief Executive of the Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB) has told CNBC.

In an interview from the broadcaster’s global headquarters in New York, Shaikh Mohammed highlighted the potential for strengthening bilateral commercial and economic ties. 

“There is a very good story to tell (about the Gulf).  The whole Gulf region is a growing single market worth US$1 trillion today; it will be US$2 trillion (by 2020)… We are here to get the message across to US companies that there are growth opportunities for them to sell into – and also to invest in – the region; it’s a win-win situation.”

Asked if Bahrain was competing with Dubai, Shaikh Mohammed outlined the Kingdom’s ambition to contribute to the growth of the Gulf as a whole. 

“We don’t see this as a zero sum game.  Dubai’s strength is our strength.  Bahrain’s strength is Saudi’s strength.  People talk about China and India.  Our aspiration actually is that they talk of China, India and the GCC.”

He added that Bahrain itself is the most established financial capital of the Middle East with the largest number of regulated institutions, over 400.  Financial services is the largest sector of the Bahrain economy, the most diversified in the Gulf; manufacturing is the second largest sector. 

Shaikh Mohammed told CNBC that the Kingdom is looking to the post-oil economy.  He is currently leading a Bahrain delegation in the US to meet with business leaders and discuss opportunities in non-oil sectors presented by the Bahrain-US Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

The EDB itself has the responsibility for creating the right climate to attract foreign investment and is leading the process of Bahrain’s Vision 2030 under the guidance of His Royal Highness Prince Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince of Bahrain and Chairman of the EDB.  The plans are designed to drive the private sector as an engine for growth, support further diversification of the economy and ultimately elevate national living standards by creating greater opportunities for Bahrainis.

CNBC will start broadcasting live from Bahrain on 14 June having itself chosen the Kingdom as its regional base.

Authorised General Sales Agent Elaf Group joins workshops

May 5, 2010

Bahrain Air, the second national carrier for the Kingdom of Bahrain, recently conducted a training course to further develop the knowledge and skills of employees working in its Ticketing Department. The course is intended to raise the quality of booking services and enhance customer satisfaction.

The sessions covered all aspects of the services provided by the airline, such as efficient travel scheduling, an area where Bahrain Air has achieved 97 per cent accuracy; proper interaction with passengers; flexibility to change bookings; and refunding of tickets cancelled due to genuine reasons. Elaf Group, a leading provider of travel, tourism and hospitality products and services in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and Bahrain Air’s authorized General Sales Agent in the KSA, was also invited to participate in the workshops.

Majid Kaki, Deputy General Manager of Elaf Group, said: “As Bahrain Air’s authorised General Sales Agent in the Kingdom and one of its key partners, we are committed to cooperating with the airline in ensuring our mutual success for the ultimate benefit of passengers. We thus decided to conduct this training course to update the capabilities of employees and ticketing staff.”

“We conducted this course to identify and resolve problems faced by the employees of the ticketing department. We got a better understanding of their requirements from their feedback, and through the training sessions we expect significant improvements in the quality of traveller services,” added Majeed Maarij, Regional Manager for the GCC, Yemen and Iran, Bahrain Air.

Gulf state’s emergence as regional financial hub hikes demand for innovative financial technology solutions

April 18, 2010

Latest research by Misys estimates the total size of Bahrain’s Information Technology (IT) market to be around USD 366 million, up six per cent from USD 345 million in 2009. Misys highlights that Banks in particular have been investing heavily into the sector to support new services and to achieve regulatory compliance, complementing Bahrain’s emergence as an important regional financial hub. Other areas that are also fueling local IT industry growth are enterprise applications, telecommunications, and government.

Misys data shows that financial services comprise almost 30 per cent of Bahrain’s GDP, with over 400 licensed financial institutions operating within the country. The Gulf state is especially recognised as an innovator in Islamic banking, developing and implementing the world’s first regulations specifically covering this unique segment back in 2001. While Bahrain’s status as the financial capital of the Middle East has helped it minimise the impact of the global crisis, the thriving local financial industry has also driven demand for related technologies.

Misys PLC, a leading global supplier of IT solutions for banking and financial applications, will extensively discuss how it can help meet the unique technology requirements of Bahrain’s banking and finance sectors during the 6th edition of MEFTEC, the premier financial technology event for emerging markets running from April 20 to 21, 2010 at the Bahrain International Exhibition & Convention Centre.

“The rapid growth of Bahrain as a regional banking and financial hub has influenced a parallel surge in ICT application and service demand,” states Roy Froud, Director Middle East & Africa, Misys. “The downturn has exerted added pressure for local financial businesses to ensure that their services are safe, swift, world-class, and compliant with strict industry and government standards and regulations. MEFTEC will provide Misys with an excellent platform to show how its products and services can help this industry achieve its goals and help maintain Bahrain’s leading position within the highly competitive Arab financial markets.”

Misys, the Gold Sponsor for this year’s MEFTEC, will showcase its leading capabilities in Retail Banking, Treasury and Capital Markets, and Islamic Banking at Stall C303, next to the venue’s conference hall. The company will specifically focus on its Misys BankFusion Universal Banking solution, Misys Opics Plus (its treasury management solution), Misys Message Manager, Islamic banking solutions, payment services hubs and mobile banking solutions during the trade show. MEFTEC 2010 will be held under the auspices of the Central Bank of Bahrain and highlight opportunities, trends and challenges in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia.

Conference in Bahrain stresses need for retaining employees at workplace

Manama, Bahrain, 07 April, 2010: Companies in the Gulf lose millions of dollars annually due to volatile staff turnover, a Pan Gulf conference has revealed. 

The Edexcel-organised Effective Behaviours for Work conference, attended by senior delegates representing government organisations, training providers and private companies from Bahrain and KSA, attributed this situation to the fragile relationship between employers and employees.

Mark Andrews, MENA Regional Director, Edexcel said: “Gulf governments and private sector employers across a multitude of industries are facing challenges in the area of effective employment practices while fresh graduates are taking time to flow into the corporate system of any company. Therefore, it is imperative that employers allow their staff to gain skills, knowledge and behaviours necessary to ensure their success in the workplace for mutual benefit.”

At the conference, Edexcel highlighted its new BTEC qualification, Effective Behaviours for Work, which is the first qualification in the world to measure and certificate people’s soft skills. The qualification was created following a major independent global research project sponsored by Edexcel, called Effective Education for Employment, which showed that employers felt potential employees lacked essential behaviours such as a willingness to learn and the ability to work as part of a team.

Andrews added: “There is an obvious prevalence of skill gaps which should be bridged in the Gulf. Most of the graduates through their academic and professional qualifications are ill-prepared for work. Employees are dissatisfied with the learning and development they receive from their employers who in turn complain that the staff turnover is high.”

Andrews further stated: “Attitude and in-work behaviours play a crucial role in building a long term relationship between employees and employers. Key skill gaps exist in the areas of leadership, teamwork, innovation and creativity.”

A training culture should take hold in the GCC if public and private sectors are to boost their businesses. Employers in every country of the GCC complain about young people graduating without a fundamental awareness of how they should behave in the workplace. They also stressed on the importance of positive attitude in developing productive employees.

The Effective Behaviours for Work qualification includes units such as “making the right decision”, “work ethic” and “managing conflict in teams” which are delivered using interactive experiential learning techniques.

Edexcel’s vocational qualifications provide a practical, real-world approach to learning alongside a theoretical background. They are designed both to replicate the professional working environment and provide learners with the skills, knowledge and behaviors they need to succeed in an increasingly competitive global market.
 
Edexcel, the leading UK-based awarding organisation, is part of Pearson, one of the world’s largest education services providers. It offers academic and professional qualifications and testing to thousands of schools, colleges, employers and other places of learning globally, and has over 4 million learners enrolled on its highly regarded courses in more than 85 countries.

- GREATER TAX TRANSPARENCY FOR BUSINESSES -

15 March 2010, Manama: A Bahrain–United Kingdom (UK) Double Taxation Agreement (BAH-UK-DTA), signed on March 10th, will further enhance financial and economic cooperation between the two countries encouraging greater trade and joint investment, said Shaikh Mohammed bin Essa Al Khalifa, Chief Executive of the Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB).

The BAH-UK-DTA ensures the elimination of double taxation on income and capital gains for enterprises operating in both countries.  Signed by H.E. Shaikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, Bahrain’s Minister of Finance, and H.E. Jamie Bowden OBE, British Ambassador to the Kingdom of Bahrain, the agreement is part of continued efforts by the two countries to extend their economic treaty network.  It adds to the already signed Treaty of Friendship, Agreement for the Promotion and Protection of Investments, and Memorandum of Understanding on Economic and Technical Cooperation. 

Shaikh Mohammed said: “This agreement is testament to Bahrain’s open, transparent approach to good governance, business and investment and to our commitment to bolstering cooperation in exchanging information with other countries including the United Kingdom.  Bahrain has historic links with the UK; we are both well established financial centres and this agreement reflects the keenness of our two countries to further strengthen business ties”. 

“It will help to create a platform for foreign investment in the Bahrain economy and for Bahrain companies to benefit from the opportunity to expand into overseas markets.  It is another step in creating the framework that will allow for a dynamic private sector in Bahrain, one that will be the engine of future economic growth to help achieve the ambitions of Vision 2030 and the National Economic Strategy.”

Bahrain’s Vision 2030 and National Economic Strategy are designed to drive the private sector as an engine of growth, support further diversification of the economy and ultimately elevate national living standards by creating greater opportunities for all Bahrainis. 

The BAH-UK-DTA joins 27 existing signed Agreements on the Avoidance of Double Taxation; this number could soon be bolstered by a further 11 other such agreements which have been concluded by the Ministry of Finance and are awaiting signature.  It is one of 16 DTAs signed by Bahrain which comply with the standard on Exchange of Tax Information, set by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and endorsed by the G20 at its summit in London, April 2009.  These are with key trading partners across the MENA region such as Jordan, Morocco and Syria, and internationally with the likes of China, France and Singapore.

The strong progress made by Bahrain in the past year on the issue of transparency and exchange of tax information has been recognised by the Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes (GFTEI)   In its international ranking of the progress made in implementing the internationally agreed standard on exchange of tax information, the GFTEI last year promoted Bahrain to rank alongside leading financial centres such as the UK and United States.

On signing the BAH-UK-DTA, H.E. Shaikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa said: “Bahrain is continuing to focus on strengthening cooperation with other countries across the globe in areas including finance, economy and investment. Through key talks, bilateral and multilateral agreements, as well as memoranda of understanding – which provides a legal framework for this cooperation – Bahrain is enhancing its competitiveness as a well-diversified and growing economy.”

Ambassador Bowden said; “This is the latest indication of the close ties between two key centres of international finance, the UK and Bahrain.  The elimination of double taxation on income and capital gains in each other’s countries is a positive step towards facilitating investment.”

As well as the BAH-UK-DTA Bahrain’s tax treaty network includes agreements with several Asian countries including China and Malaysia, European countries  such as France and the Netherlands, MENA countries such as Egypt and Jordan, OECD members such as Belgium and Turkey, and financial centres such as Luxembourg and Singapore. The tax treaty network with these countries is supported by bilateral investment treaties which promote and protect investments.  The Kingdom has also signed bilateral investment treaties with other countries including India, Italy and the USA, and Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with trading partners such as the USA and Singapore.