ArabCode.org to qualify 50,000 professional coders in Middle East & North Africa region by 2020

CoursePeer launches initiative to teach computer programming to an estimated one million youth in the Middle East & North Africa

DUBAI, May 11, 2015 /CoursePeer, Inc./ — CoursePeer Inc., a global provider of cloud-based learning and collaboration solutions for academia and enterprise, has launched ArabCode.org (www.ArabCode.org), an initiative that aims to teach computer science and coding to the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) region’s youth through an innovative game-based approach, with the support of Dubai Internet City , the MENA region’s largest ICT free zone. CoursePeer’s software solution will educate one million youth aged eight and above in the fields of computer programming and coding in an interactive and entertaining way – in Arabic and English – while providing teachers and government stakeholders with dashboards to monitor students’ progress to further facilitate learning. “Targeting the same year of Expo 2020 in Dubai, ArabCode is expected to generate 50,000 qualified professional coders ready to join the lucrative digital industry with their newly developed skills,” said Hadi Aladdin, Co-founder and CEO of CoursePeer Inc. “We have launched ArabCode.org to help create technology leaders who will participate in the global marketplace.” Commenting, Majed Al Suwaidi, Managing Director of Dubai Internet City and Dubai Outsource Zone said; “We are happy to have supported the CoursePeer initiative, which will foster innovation and creativity and support talent. ArabCode will give young people the opportunity to learn about important coding and give them the necessary skills to work in the sector in the coming years.” Today, only one in ten schools in the United States teaches coding as part of their curriculum, and it is estimated that very few Arab students in the MENA region are versed in the principles of coding. ArabCode.org was established to support solving this global challenge, while boosting the region’s economic growth and expediting productivity by implementing a three-phase strategic plan. “ArabCode’s roadmap, which already involves key corporations and governments in the region, includes launching a virtual Coding Academy for professional Web and Mobile App development as well as a digital marketplace for job creation.” Commented Marwan Aladdin, CoursePeer’s Co-founder and COO describing the difference between ArabCode and other initiatives. ArabCode.org is supported by some of the region’s most influential business leaders, including Fadi Ghandour (founder of ARAMEX and Executive Chairman of Wamda Capital), who commented: “In light of the global demand for more computer scientists and coders, CoursePeer’s ArabCode.org initiative is on track to become a major contributor to MENA’s ICT employment, entrepreneurship and innovation sectors. This mega-scale initiative will help drive the region’s prosperity and create millions of jobs.” The ArabCode.org initiative was highlighted at this year’s MIT Enterprise Forum Pan-Arab Conference in Kuwait, and is preparing to announce major partnerships in Saudi Arabia. “It is great that ArabCode is leveraging Canadian technology to help unlock the potential of Emirati students wishing to participate in the digital economy,” said Mr. Emmanuel Kamarianakis, Consul General of Canada to Dubai & the Northern Emirates. “ArabCode is an example of how education and technology can come together to foster positive outcomes – and I am pleased that leading-edge Canadian companies such as CoursePeer are able to play an active role in supporting the UAE’s innovation agenda.” ​CoursePeer Inc. is a spin-off of Canada’s University of Toronto and MaRS Innovation, and is supported by MaRS Discovery District. “This is a great example of a Canadian digital company going global, reaching new markets and equipping students with the tools needed to pursue exciting careers in key technology sectors,” said Ilse Treurnicht, CEO MaRS Discovery District. “MaRS is thrilled that CoursePeer’s ArabCode initiative is expanding across the Middle East and North Africa to build the region’s future economy.” The ArabCode initiative will be implemented by CoursePeer Arabia, the Middle East & North Africa arm of CoursePeer Inc., and will launch towards the end of 2015. You can access ArabCode’s website at: www.ArabCode.org About CoursePeer CoursePeer provides learning, collaboration and decision-making solutions for enterprise, government and academia. Corporations use CoursePeer’s cloud solutions to offer employee training, certification, intranet, long-term advanced performance assessment and powerful knowledge capture and analysis tools. For more information, please see:www.coursepeer.com About Dubai Internet City Dubai Internet City (DIC) is the Middle East and North Africa’s largest ICT hub. Since the year 2000, DIC has successfully developed a prosperous ecosystem for technology organisations and has been one of the forerunners in carrying forward Dubai’s vision of transitioning into a knowledge-based economy. DIC is home to Fortune 500 companies and multinationals, including global names such as Facebook and LinkedIn, as well as some of the region’s most dynamic and successful technology SMEs and start-ups from all elements of the ICT value chain.
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Media Contacts: Sima Yagan Manager, Public Relations CoursePeer Inc. s.yagan@coursepeer.com
The three stages of ArabCode.org’s plan for establishing a strong culture of coding in the MENA region.