The National eLearning Center in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is to become a strategic partner in spreading the use of open technology standards across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) educational technology ecosystem
LAKE MARY, Florida, USA and RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, 8 February 2022 — IMS Global Learning Consortium (IMS Global/IMS), the world-leading non-profit collaborative advancing edtech and learning impact, and the National eLearning Center (NELC) of Saudi Arabia today announced a memorandum of understanding to partner on the launch of IMS MENA. IMS MENA will be managed by NELC with full support from IMS Global for the purpose of accelerating an interoperable edtech ecosystem to achieve high-quality learning experiences in Saudi Arabia and across the Middle East and North Africa region.
The National eLearning Center, established as an independent entity by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Council of Ministers, aims to enhance trust in eLearning, providing lifelong equal access to eLearning, and leading sustainable innovation in eLearning in order to achieve trusted online learning for all. NELC provides a national eLearning platform, FutureX, while also setting standards for online learning, providing licensing, studies, consultation, training, and qualification services. Through IMS MENA, NELC will become the focal point for IMS projects and certification in the region, including translating IMS standards to Arabic. IMS MENA will offer its services to all countries in the MENA region.
“Given the rapid use of technology in education and training, it is imperative that edtech ecosystems are interoperable and adopt the best standards to ensure quality online learning is delivered to the stakeholders, said Dr. Abdullah Alwalidi, the Director General of NELC. NELC is pleased to be identified by IMS Global as a regional partner for advocating and implementing the best global edtech standards in the region. IMS standards would strengthen NELC’s comprehensive portfolio of online learning excellence standards.”
IMS Global is the world’s largest edtech collaboration across K-12, higher education, and corporate education, consisting of over 700 member organizations. IMS interoperability standards enable a diverse and innovative ecosystem by providing the foundation of connectivity that enhances learning experiences across an ever-expanding set of products, including learning platforms, portals, tools, curriculum, assessment, badging/credentialing, student information systems, and learning analytics. IMS MENA becomes IMS’s fourth regional initiative, joining IMS Europe, IMS Japan Society, and IMS Korea.
“IMS Global is pleased to be partnering with and supporting NELC to increase eLearning trust and innovation in Saudi Arabia and the region,” said Dr. Rob Abel, Chief Executive Officer of IMS. “We believe that the mission of NELC is synergistic with that of IMS, and together we can create a leap forward for the global adoption of an interoperable edtech ecosystem.”