Avnet in association with Oracle holds training workshops for its Preferred Partners across the Middle East North Africa region 

Dubai, UAE, August 4, 2011 – Avnet Technology Solutions, the leading Value Added Distributor in the Middle East and Africa region recently held a special training workshop “Improving Datacenter Efficiency with Oracle” for its Preferred Partners in the MENA region

The workshop was one full day event which was attended by a large number of channel partners and end users in Egypt, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. “Datacenter Efficiency” workshops were supported by Linux Plus Information LLC in Egypt, OMNIX Qatar Co in Qatar and Saudi Arabia, which had two different workshops found their support from National DataServe & Turnkey Solutions and Baud Telecom Company respectively.

Top technical experts from Avnet and Oracle presented a wide range of products and solutions including Oracle Enterprise Servers, Oracle Sun optimized solutions, Oracle Exadata, Oracle Exalogic, for the rapidly growing Datacenter market in the region.

Avnet highlighted ‘How to build a more efficient and powerful Datacenter with Oracle technology’. And, also emphasised ‘How Oracle Hardware and Software are engineered to work together seamlessly to provide ultimate performance’.

Oracle experts shared their vision for a fully integrated and optimized datacenter that can transform the datacenter and create new capabilities for business.

While explaining the main reason to hold “Datacenter Efficiency” workshops in the region Hani Barakat, Senior Director Oracle Business MENA, Avnet Technology Solutions, said “We wanted to impart the best knowledge to our channel partners about how to reduce costs and simplify management for setting up a datacenter while boosting performance, so that it can meet increased demands with fewer resources. “

Hani further added, that “Partners can benefit in a big way by associating with Oracle solutions as Oracle delivers innovation through full integration of the datacenter, right from application to disk and as a result setting new standards for efficiency, simplicity, performance, and scalability.“

Encouraged by the overwhelming response, Avnet plans to take the “Datacenter Efficiency” workshops to various other locations in the MENA region.

The women’s program on “How to Start Your Own Business from Home” will be presented by the expert trainer from the UNIDO Organization Farah Al Faraj. The key topics to be covered include defining business processes, business development ideas, special characteristics of working from home, self-development skills, work from home business success, simple feasibility studies, making a business plan, successful business management, market studies, and sales and marketing skills.

Al-Khobar | Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Prince Mohammad bin Fahd University (PMU) organized a workshop on youth development and to search avenues for overall growth of Saudi youths. Intellectuals and likeminded individuals gathered on this occasion to discuss such issues. This workshop explored new opportunities for the Saudi youth community.

Organized under the auspices of HRH Prince Turki bin Mohammad bin Fahd, Deputy Chairman, Board of Directors, PMU, this workshop was chaired by university Rector, Dr. Issa Al-Ansari. Its participants were academicians representing various Saudi Arabian universities, government agencies and top notch intellectuals. The academicians and intelligentsia reviewed and discussed issues related to Saudi youths.

The vision, mission and objectives of Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz Chair for Youth Development in PMU too came under the discussion. This Chair picks contemporary youth issues for discussion to find solution and encourage multiple researches as proposed solutions of the problems which Saudi youths encounter. Using appropriate means and implementing new ideas is the key issues for such discussions.

HRH Prince Turki bin Mohammad bin Fahd highlighted the importance of new media in present scenario while addressing to the media. He brought the advantages of different media sources into limelight like using social networking sites Facebook, Twitter or e-newspapers which help youths to remain aware of worldwide developments. The prince stressed on the importance of online tools to spread messages. “Effort should be made to use the websites that can promote Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz Chair for Youth Development in PMU through the Internet medium,” he said.

Internet also invites setbacks while offering benefits. The prince cautioned about the side effects as to how it could be dangerous for youngsters. Their easy accessibility to unacceptable information through Internet might cause moral crisis. He said that, “tracking information ensures safeguarding moral values.”

PMU Rector, Dr. Issa Al-Ansari focused on the importance of this workshop and the role of all workshop participants. He said that success of Saudi youths in their respective professions is possible only if their aspirations are valued through timely guidance. He said that the contribution of Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz Chair for Youth Development at PMU will remain valuable for Saudi youths. He felt pleasure to see an increase in the knowledge culture in the Eastern Province.

Such workshops offer opportunity for youths to explore and preserve knowledge instead of being mislead. Workshops are best platforms to learn and look for the new opportunities.

Second Deputy Premier and Interior Minister, HRH Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz had approved the establishment of this Chair at PMU to support youths for overall growth. It aims to organize discussion on youth development issues in the Kingdom besides identifying practices as viable solution of problems.

Private schools in Saudi Arabia have been forced to raise their fees by up to 30 percent following the introduction of a minimum wage for teachers, it was reported Tuesday.

The move to enforce a base salary of SR5,000 ($1,333) for teachers has raised fears some schools may close as they struggle to cover the growing wage bill, Arab News reported.

Tuition fees at elementary, intermediate and secondary facilities in the kingdom have risen to SR9,500, SR11,500 and SR12,500, the paper said; and exceeds that at top-end schools.

Fareeda Muhammad Ali Farsi, a member of the National Committee for Education and Training, said there were fears added salary demands would force the closure of some schools, putting added pressure on Saudi’s overstretched government system.

There are around 22,000 Saudis working as teachers in private schools, with expatriates accounting for more than 80 percent of staff, the paper said.

The wage rule forms part of an overhaul of employment laws in the Gulf’s wealthiest economy aimed at curbing unemployment and increasing the number of Saudis in the private sector.

Companies in the world’s top oil exporter have until September 7 to achieve a prescribed quota of Saudi employees, under a new programme announced by the labour minister in May.

Business will be deprived of privileges if they do not comply, the minister said; a decision that Citibank warned could hurt Saudi’s immature private sector.

“There is the possibility that many private sector companies will be shut down as a result of strict implementation … their possible failure would be likely to have an impact on economic growth, as the private sector goes through an adjustment period,” analysts Farouk Soussa said in a research note earlier this month.

In 1994, Saudi Arabia began a ‘Saudisation’ plan, setting quotas for the number of nationals private firms must hire. Saudis account for just 10 percent of the private sector work force.

The Course on “Effective Communication Skills and Human Relationship Principles” aims to enhance communication skills and develop leadership skills. The key topics to be covered include build a foundation for success, recall and use names, build on memory skills and enhance relationships, increase self-confidence, enhance relationships and motivate others, make our ideas clear, energize our communications, put stress in perspective, gain willing cooperation and commit to influence others, disagree agreeably, and develop more flexibility. The course will be presented in Arabic.

For more information http://www.iobf.org

Course Sponser

The training program on “Hotel Marketing Strategies” will be held within the framework of activities of the Training Center at Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) during this year.

Saudi’s King Abdullah will officially open the new campus of the $5.3b Princess Noura bint Abdulrahman University (PNU) today (Sunday), less than three years after laying the foundation stone for the university.

The new university is the largest women-only university in the world, covering 800 hectares on the outskirts of Riyadh – and has been a hive of activity since King Abdullah marked the official start of construction on 2008.

The new campus includes a 700-bed university hospital, 15 colleges, a central library, a conference hall, laboratories and three research centres for nanotechnology, information technology and biosciences. It also comprises staff housing units, student hostels, primary, intermediate and secondary schools and recreational facilities plus administration buildings. The university officially starts operations in 2012.

There are colleges for medicine, dentistry, nursing, information technology, kindergarten education, languages, instant translation and pharmacy. It has 32 affiliated colleges in 17 cities and townships in the Riyadh province.

The university also has its own high tech transport system with automatic, computer controlled vehicles that link major areas of the campus.

The university is designed to cater for more than 50,000 students, with 28,000 already enrolled – and 3,000 staff on board.

Huda Al-Ameel, the newly appointed PNU president, said, “We are grateful to King Abdullah for this vital project, which will surely encourage PNU staff and students to exploit this state-of-the art facility to excel in education.”

Companies involved in the construction included main contracting firms Saudi Oger Ltd, Saudi Binladin Group and El Seif Engineering & Contracting Co as well as MEP contractors Vision Company for Electrical and Mechanical Works and Johnson Controls International (Cooling system).

The Scientific Workshop of Sheikh Abdullah S. BaHamdan Research Chair for Evidence-based Healthcare and Knowledge Translation 2010, in its 3rd edition, aims to develop enlightened participated thinking in the area of the Chair’s specialization by giving researchers and all parties concerned the opportunity to adapt the EBHC approach. The workshop is accredited by Saudi Council for Health Specialties for 30 hours Continuing Medical Education (CME).

Strategic Planning Course

From: 27-30/11/ 2010

The Strategic Planning Course is designed to managers, executives, business analysts and those involved in planning or implementing strategic initiatives. The key topics to be covered include introduction to strategy, planning and structure, modeling the strategic planning process, making choices among strategies, and implementing and evaluating strategy.

Contacts:

Fax: 0096614032070

Mobile: 00966506201851

Email: training@saudieng.org

Event URL: http://www.saudieng.org

PMP Course

From: 27 -11-2010 (16:30) To: 01-12-2010 (21:30)

Location: Holiday Inn Hotel

City: Riyadh

The Project Management Professional Course will discuss a number of issues, including project management processes, project integration management, project scope management, project time management, project cost management, project quality management, project human resource integration management, project communications management, and project risk management. The course open to project managers, project customers, consultants and other specialists in project management and related fields.

Contacts:

Fax: 0096614032070
Mobile: 00966506201851
Email: training@saudieng.org
Event URL: http://www.saudieng.org

Basics of Urban and Regional Planning Course

From: 30-11-2010 (8:00) To: 01-12-2010 (16:00)

Location: Prince Salman Center for Local Government, Prince Sultan University (PSU)

City: Riyadh

The course on “Basics of Urban and Regional Planning” will be held within the framework of the training programs of the Prince Salman Center for Local Government during this year.

Contacts:
Phone: 0096614948090
Fax: 0096614948091
Email: psclg@psu.edu.com
Event URL: http://www.psclocalgov.org.sa

Issued by the Royal Court yesterday the following statement:

Statement from the Royal Court

Issued Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, may God protect him to postpone school study of all stages of public education, higher education, scheduled to begin on Monday, 16/12/1431 to  Saturday, 21/12/1431 AH (27/11/2010).