With schools and universities moving online as part of government measures to fight the Covid-19 pandemic, US technology company HP is aiming to support the landmark and rapid shift to distance learning with an offer to provide institutions with the necessary digital capabilities to keep teaching effectively during the crisis.
As of the start of April, more than 775 million school children have been affected by school closures around the world as a result of Covid-19.
Public and private schools and universities across the Middle East are conducting remote education as part of measures aimed at limiting the spread of coronavirus. In the UAE for example, this will continue until the end of the academic year.
HP is offering to help schools and universities in the Middle East adapt as quickly as possible to distance learning requirements amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
The American PC maker’s BeOnline programme - a collaboration with Classera and Mirai Partners - includes providing a learning management system and IT consultancy services.
These tools and services will be provided to institutions until the end of the academic year at no cost, HP said.
Silicon Valley company Classera and innovative education group Mirai will help HP create “virtual schools”. This involves developing digital lesson plans and assignments and online attendance and assessment functions. HP will also provide schools with its “LIFE program” which helps youngsters develop business and technical skills online.
Mathew Thomas, HP’s Middle East vice president and managing director, acknowledged the “severe disruption“ caused to families and educators amid the pandemic.
“This programme is designed to help schools and universities to quickly adopt distance learning. Today, technology can support new styles of learning. PCs and tools designed for education can offer students flexibility of time, place, and pace of learning, whether in or out of the classroom, or in a blend of environments. Technology can not only engage students and improve learning outcomes, but also help to equip them with the skills they need for the future,” he said.
Teachers and approximately 1.1 million pupils in the UAE had to make the switch in just two weeks.
An English teacher at a school in Abu Dhabi, told The National that a lack of preparation on how to give online lessons has been the biggest bane of every teacher.
“Online learning is exciting but overwhelming. I feel I have to work 24/7 to prepare interactive sessions. I try to flip the classroom and start discussions so pupils can share ideas and feel involved,” the grade 9 teacher said.
The disruption has led to the need for universities to come up with new and innovative methods of teaching their students.
"Our college has understood that we are in the midst of unprecedented times and are making the necessary adjustments," an undergraduate student of technology in Dubai told The National.
Mohammad Almadani, chief executive of Classera said “governments go above and beyond to minimise the disruption of the education sector that is currently being felt across many countries due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Ensuring a smooth transition towards establishing a fully-fledged and effective distance learning environment. This [programme] will ensure students are continuing and progressing with their studies in this turbulent period.”
Christine Nasserghodsi, co-founder and managing partner of Mirai said "as online learning continues in most communities, ensuring that students advance in their learning progression during this period and beyond is paramount.”
The global EdTech market is expected to be worth $40 billion by 2022, according to Valustrat, a Dubai consultancy and advisory group.
Experts say that new guidelines, regulations and platforms will need to be created to accommodate the high demand for distance learning.
HP, which creates technology that makes “life better for everyone, everywhere” such as printers, PCs, mobile devices, solutions, and services, is committed to supporting the education of 100 million people globally by 2025.
Its other programmes include Classroom of the Future, HP Learning Studios, Digital School Awards amd HP Teaching Fellows.
For more information on BeOnline, please click here.
*This article has been paid for by the advertiser
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Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
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Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion
The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.
Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".
The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.
He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.
"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.
As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.
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