UKS and Cegos Group launch E-learning and Blended Learning Solutions for the Middle East Market
June 10 2009

New research study by Cegos reveals employees want more e-learning and blended learning than classroom based training

UKS, the Middle East’s leading learning solutions enabler and Cegos Group, a global leader in professional training today announced the launch of e-Learning solutions by Cegos (eLS) and Global Learning by Cegos (GLC) to support the long-term performance and growth of commercial and public sector organisations in the Middle East. Both eLS and GLC are available as multi-lingual solutions with Arabic content.

Through an exclusive partnership with Cegos, UKS is now able to offer Cegos’ world-class e-learning solutions as off-the-shelf modules and as fully customised programmes. In addition, UKS will develop and deliver GLC blended learning solutions which integrate classroom training with e-learning and other training tools, as well as providing self-assessment techniques and an online Learning Management System.

UKS’ strength in regional localisation and delivery, coupled with Cegos’ leading edge technology, will benefit both regional and International companies looking to achieve a faster and more-cost effective roll-out of best practice learning and development solutions on a worldwide scale. The partnership will make Cegos one of the few International training providers with truly multi-lingual solutions including Arabic.

The launch comes at a time when e-learning and blended learning are fast gaining momentum in the Middle East, particularly in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia. According to Madar Research Group, total spending on e-Learning in the UAE is expected to reach AED Dirhams 266.6 million (US$72.6 million) by the end of 2010. Both the UAE and Saudi Arabia currently share 80% of online education spending in the Gulf.

The rise of e-learning and blended learning

Three key factors are contributing to the rise in popularity and demand for e-learning and blended learning - the steady advancements in digital infrastructure, an increasing awareness among major businesses and the public sector of the significant benefits and Return on Investment (ROI) that technology-led learning delivers and the fact that employees genuinely like e-learning and blended learning and want more of it.

“Organisations have recognised the critical role that technology-led learning can play in accelerating the development of professional skills and in engaging employees more effectively. Our research shows that today’s learners genuinely prefer e-learning and blended learning to pure classroom based training and, as a result, are increasingly driving the trend towards bite-sized chunks of personalised content delivered to the individual’s desk-top in real-time.” said Jeremy Blain, Director of the International Partners Network of Cegos Group

In March 2009, Cegos Group carried out a major study among 2,355 employees and 485 HR directors/training managers from companies employing more than 500 staff in the UK, France, Germany and Spain. The survey revealed that half of employees across Europe want more e-learning and blended learning during the next three years. Learners are also keen to embrace collaborative tools like blogs, forums and wikis with 44% of employees wanting to see more of these tools developed.

The survey also found that e-learning and blended learning programmes are meeting the expectations of users. For 89% of employees, blended learning is living up to users expectations ‘well’ or ‘very well’, and the same was found for 82% of respondents using e-learning.

These trends are echoed in the Middle East with Cegos’ research findings comparing favourably with SkillSoft’s EMEA e-learning benchmark survey which showed that employees in the Middle East find e-learning to be enjoyable, engaging and effective. The survey revealed that 94% of employees enjoy the courses they have taken; 87% were able to give tangible examples of how they have applied their learning in the workplace and 98% would recommend e-learning to a colleague.

Cegos’ survey also found that more managers (50%) than non-managers (38%) take part in e-learning programmes. This highlights the flexibility of e-learning and the way it can be scheduled to fit in with day-to-day demands, ensuring greater productivity due to less time spent away from the office.

Other key benefits offered by Cegos’ solutions include greater flexibility as the learner can learn at his or her own pace, whenever they have time; the delivery of more relevant and personalised content to the learner in bite-sized chunks that are easier to digest and apply to real workplace challenges; making learning and development budgets stretch further and delivering greater return on investment to the organisation.

More focus for professional skills development

Employees are using e-learning and blended learning to develop their technical, IT and professional skills. In Europe and the Middle East, technical skills development is the core focus of training programmes and continues to dominate over professional skills development.

Cegos’ survey showed that in Europe 44% of employees receive technical skills training and 33% receive IT skills training. 18% and 16% of employees have undertaken sales and finance related training, respectively, in the past year. In terms of personal development, 25% of employees in Europe have undertaken professional skills training and 15% have undertaken leadership training with the UK leading the way with 25% of employees benefiting from leadership programmes.

“During the past few years there has been a growing realisation among organisations in the Middle East that professional skills development needs more focus and that investing in this area will help drive business growth and improve motivation and retention. More and more organisations are therefore turning to e-learning and blended learning to provide a better balance of training across job functions.”

“Through our partnership with Cegos, we are ideally placed to help companies leverage the best technology to engage learners more effectively and speed up professional skills development across the organisation, while at the same time maximising return on investment. We look forward to embarking on the next chapter of technology-enabled learning and ensuring that organisations in the Middle East have access to the very latest in world-class tools and expertise.” said Hadi Shaheen, UKS General Manager - EMEA