U21Global and e-TQM College to Offer Joint Programmes in Leadership Management

The collaboration is the first of its kind in the Gulf to offer blended programmes in the field of graduate executive education

Dubai, UAE, June 8, 2008 - U21Global, the world's premier online graduate school, and e-TQM College, one of the Arab-world's fastest-growing eLearning institutes, announced today a partnership to offer joint programmes in Leadership Management for the Gulf region.

A recently signed memorandum of understanding between the two pioneering higher education institutions outlines how the two parties will leverage synergies of cooperation to provide world-class blended professional educational opportunities to learners from the region.

Nick Hutton, CEO of U21Global, said, "We are excited to be working with Dubai's first and only online educational provider specialising in Total Quality Management education. This partnership with e-TQM College expands our avenues of outreach to potential new learners in this region and contributes to our strong brand visibility and reputation for offering high-quality graduate management programmes."

"U21Global has redefined the eLearning process with its specially designed programmes to cater for working executives and professionals, allowing them to receive such education while carrying on their careers. Our objective is to ensure that learners in the region will get the best of education relevant in the global context and acquire a sound understanding of business fundamentals that will equip them to lead in an increasingly globalised world," Hutton added.

Market research shows that internationally, as well as in the Gulf, the demand for education is growing robustly, particularly in the areas of graduate and professional education. In particular, there is a clear and growing need to develop strategic leadership capabilities to enable organisations to gain competitive advantage, in view of the growing pressures from globalisation and an increasingly complex market environment.

"The market demand for such programmes in the Gulf is one of the most compelling rationales for this partnership. Together, we will be the first in the region to offer blended programmes in the area of Leadership Management," said Col. Ibrahim Mahmood Bin Abdulrahman, Assistant Vice President for Business & Administration at e-TQM College.

He added, "The cooperation will enhance e-TQM College's eLearning offerings and expand the scope of learning options available to our learners. U21Global's programmes give our students access to U21Global's practices in eLearning education, developed to provide unmatched learning outcomes. Their courses use engaging and media-rich courseware; feature valuable collaborative student interactions, and benefit from distinguished faculty."

Vikram Tah, Director, Middle East, Africa and Pakistan for U21Global, said e-TQM College learners in the region will benefit from the graduate school's quality educational experiences that have attracted students from over 60 countries since it was set up in 2001. "We are pursuing a strategy of actively seeking high-quality regional and international partners to bring our unique proposition of eLearning programmes to those eager for such flexible, high-quality and value-added experiences."

U21Global is backed by an international network of leading research-intensive universities in 11 countries and leverages its online delivery infrastructure to provide substantial learning advantages through a convenient medium that enables learners to balance work, business travel and family life.

About U21Global
Established in 2001, U21Global is the world's premier online Graduate School that offers globally recognised graduate programmes. The graduate school is backed by an international network of leading research-intensive universities in 11 countries. U21Global combines the traditional quality of its founders with innovative modes of delivery on the Internet, providing students with substantial learning advantages, while balancing work, travel and family life.

U21Global has successfully enrolled students from 60 countries around the world including those from Asia, Australia, Africa, Europe and the Americas. The graduate programmes draw upon the best practices in online learning and pedagogy and have been approved by U21pedagogica, an independent quality assurance body which ensures that the curriculum meets the rigorous academic standards of all the affiliated universities. For more information on U21Global, please visit our campus at www.u21global.edu.sg

U21Global's affiliated universities include: North America: Tecnológico de Monterrey, University of Virginia; Europe: Lund University; University College Dublin, University of Birmingham, University of Edinburgh, University of Glasgow, University of Nottingham; Asia: Fudan University, Korea University, National University of Singapore, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, University of Delhi, University of Hong Kong, Waseda University; Australia & New Zealand: University of Melbourne, University of Queensland.

About e-TQM
e-TQM College was established in January 2002 and inaugurated on 30th September 2002 by visionary leader Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, as a distinctive and innovative institution to establish e-learning throughout the region. Fully accredited by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research of the UAE; The college is a unique and pioneer e-learning institution with a mission to re-engineer education by providing a model of life long, self-learning .Using state of the art e-learning platform. The college seeks to provide opportunity for all through the principle of click to learn.

Over the years, the college has established international credibility, recognition and affiliation like: Bradford University School of Management, University of Huddersfield, University of California, and Berkeley. And further works with other international institutions like: the European Foundation for Quality Management, International Academy for Quality, American Society for Quality, Japanese Union of Scientists and Engineers and many others in order to benefit from global expertise that recognizes the highest standards of quality

The College offers a BA degree in Business and Quality Management that largely targets learners interested in the areas of quality and organizational enhancement in various disciplines.  It also offers an Msc degree in Organizational Excellence and an Msc in Public Health: Excellence in Health Care Management .Both Program graduates will have the knowledge and skills to introduce excellence change in their organizations .All Academic programs are accredited by the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research

The college has established Centers of Excellence: The Centre of Excellence in Education, the Centre of Excellence in Healthcare, the Centre of Excellence in government and the Virtual Executive Club and through them provide specialized programs in order to build the proficiency of professionals in various fields. The college also offers Professional Certificates and Diplomas such as: The Chartered Quality Institute Diploma & Certificate in Quality Assurance, the Australian Human Resources Institute Professional Diploma & Foundation in Human Resources and Senior Hospital and Health Services Manager Program.