Stakeholders from 22 Countries Convene at SunGard Higher Education User Group Conference
Higher Education Specialists Share Insights on Emerging Trends and IT Infrastructures that will Transform the Region’s Higher Education
Dubai, UAE -17 December 2008 Leaders from over 40 universities and colleges, government education ministries, SunGard Higher Education executives and IT professionals from 22 countries have convened at the Atlantis Hotel in Dubai for the 2008 annual SunGard Higher Education Middle East User Group Conference (SMEUG).
The conference themed ‘Performance Matters’ is being hosted from 15th to 17th December with sponsorship from IT companies such as Scientia, Sun Microsystems, International Turnkey Systems, Oracle, SciQuest, TouchNet, Residential Management Systems and UC4. Participants from the Middle East, Africa, Europe and the U.S. have the opportunity to network, exchange ideas, share best practices, and explore the latest developments in attaining a Unified Digital Campus.
Keynote speaker, Dr. Saeed Mohammed Al Barwani, General Manager, IT & Education Development, Ducab, said: “The region has been undergoing and continues to undergo challenges resulting from the changing world economic picture, fast-paced regional development and need for implementation of new requirements hinging on institutional performance. This conference provides a timely and invaluable platform to help higher education stakeholders gain unique insights and essential guidelines which will help them measure the achievement of their strategic goals.”
Keynote speakers from the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain and the U.S. are providing critical sessions to explore the theme of the conference and are complemented by the many presentations and case studies from institutions already using SunGard Higher Education solutions. The conference also features demonstrations and discussion on solutions from the event sponsors.
“The venue for the conference this year says a lot about what can be achieved in this region. Educational progress may be less visible than iconic real estate developments in the area; however, this conference attests to the fact that projects in education across the region are achieving remarkable goals,” said Mathew Boice, general manager, Middle East and Europe, SunGard Higher Education.
“Student outcomes and institutional performance are of paramount importance to regional governments and we are seeing this user community tackle huge challenges for improved quality and access to Higher Education,” Mr. Boice added.
User groups are vital communities in the sharing of expertise and the ongoing development of SunGard Higher Education solutions. The Middle East User Group was established through an initial meeting in Beirut, Lebanon in December 2001; last year, more than 300 stakeholders attended the conference.
About SunGard Higher Education
SunGard Higher Education provides software and support, systems implementation and integration, strategic consulting, and technology management services to help colleges and universities build, unify, and manage their digital campuses. Bringing together people, processes, and technology, SunGard Higher Education assists more than 1,600 customers worldwide to strengthen institutional performance through improved constituent services, increased accountability, and better educational experiences. www.sungardhe.com.
About SunGard
With annual revenue of $5 billion, SunGard is a global leader in software and processing solutions for financial services, higher education and the public sector. SunGard also helps information-dependent enterprises of all types to ensure the continuity of their business. SunGard serves more than 25,000 customers in more than 50 countries, including the world’s 25 largest financial services companies. Visit SunGard at www.sungard.com.
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