Sudatel and Etisalat Academy sign AED 15million strategic training partnership

Etisalat Academy today signed training agreements with Sudan Telecom- Sudatel- as part of its strategic plan to assist in the training and development of employees from regional organizations and corporations,

The agreements mark the launch in Sudan of the EasyLearning initiative, which is already available across the Middle East and North Africa.  Under the terms of the agreements, there will be a special centre for evaluating employee skills in Khartoum, and a number of technical training programs focusing on 3.5G network services will be implemented. Etisalat Academy will also prepare and train call centre employees of Sudatel.

Dr. Doaa Fares, General Manager, Etisalat Academy, and Ibrahim Al Bigawi, General Manager, Sudacad, signed the MoU at MECOM 2007 in the presence of Ali Al Sharid, Chief Executive Officer of Etisalat Services, Imad Al Deen Hussain, Chief Executive Officer and Board Member of Sudatel, and a number of other senior officers and executives.

 The MoU states that the program will assist in developing skills and competencies of Sudatel employees, as well as those of government departments and private sector companies. Sudatel will also establish special professional testing centers for implementing the EasyLearning initiative.

Ali Al Sharid, CEO, Etisalat Services, said: “This MoU adds to a series of initiatives that support the development of an information and knowledge society, and supports the ongoing efforts implemented by Sudatel. This leads to the spreading of the latest services in Sudan, paving the way to initiatives that enhance available skills in the labor market.”

“This MoU also reflects Etisalat Academy’s reputation locally and regionally, and adds to its unique contributions towards the development of employees in the government and private sectors. Its pioneering programs have helped bridge the gap between the requirements of the labor market, and the available resources”, he added

Imad Al Deen Hussain, Chief Executive Officer and Board Member of Sudatel said: “This strategic collaboration with Etisalat Academy is a natural step from growing relations between the UAE and Sudan, and is part of the fast development of Sudan which requires support for development of the national human resources. The Academy’s reputation locally and regionally, together with its use of sophisticated and professional techniques and approaches makes it unique in its domain. It is for these reasons that Sudatel’s evaluation team chose Etisalat Academy as their strategic partner to launch their initiatives in Sudan.”

Dr. Doaa Fares, General Manager, Etisalat Academy, said: “Having been chosen by Sudatel to launch extensive training programs in Sudan reflects the capabilities of the Academy across a broad range of sciences and managerial and technical subjects that are professionally designed for the development of professional skills of employees. The Academy is pleased that through this cooperation the launch of EasyLearning, initiated by the United Nations, will now be available in Sudan.”

“EasyLearning is considered the only accredited online learning program by the Academic Supreme Council for a number of universities, institutes, and professional institutions in Canada, Britain, and Japan, as well as for a number of UN specialized institutions”, he added.

April 25,2007