Saudi Arabia, Oman, Jordan and Egypt took part in the Learning & Training Conference in Berlin
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Around 100 countries and more than 2000 participants and 400 speakers took part in the event which is considered the key annual networking event for the international e-learning and technology-supported learning and training industry
BERLIN- December 7, 2011- The 17th International Conference on Technology Supported Learning & Training, the largest global e-learning conference for the corporate, education and public service sectors concluded in Berlin with the participation of experts in the vanguard of technology-enhanced learning from around the world.
Around 100 countries and more than 2000 participants and 400 speakers took part in the event which is considered the key annual networking event for the international e-learning and technology-supported learning and training industry.
HE Dr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, from Jordan, headed the opening session and the special workshop on the Arab region. The event witnessed the participation of Saudi Arabia, Oman and Egypt.
In his opening remarks, HE Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh focused on the need for a new educational system that meets the digital age requirements saying that the word “education” in Romans means to pull which means that we need to return to the original educational goal which is learning.
He also said that there is a need to link learning with citizenship as the main goal of having excellent and creative graduates is to serve their countries through educational programs which evoke citizenship and patriotism within each of them.
Then he moved to the international scene saying that there is no global economic crisis but there is a Western economic crisis calling on a halt of using terms such as developed countries and developing countries unless it meant that the developed countries have stopped growing especially in the knowledge society age where progress is for individuals who through the Internet acquired equal opportunities and universal democracy which countries failed to achieve.
Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh rejected the use of the “Arab Spring” expression which is being utilized throughout the media questioning why the European renaissance in 1848 was not called the European Spring.
He stressed that the renaissance concept does not belong to the Western countries only and it will move from the Arab region to the rest of the world; the concept of renaissance means the desire to change for the better and this process takes time and cost.
Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh headed the opening session which included Neelie Kroes, Vice President of the European Commission and European Digital Agenda Commissioner, Peter Nowak, Technology Commentator, formerly of CBC and National Post, John Bohannon, Journalist and visiting researcher at Harvard University and Jeff Borden, Senior Director of Teaching and Learning, Pearson
On the sidelines of the conference, around 100 specialized sessions and more than 200 exhibitions on education were organized.
