ICDL GCC Foundation, the governing body and certification authority of the International Computer Driving Licence (ICDL) program in the Gulf region, was acknowledged for its significant role in extending the scope of the ICDL program and for maximising awareness of the program in the GCC region, at the annual ICDL CEO Forum held recently in Dubrovnik, Croatia. This year’s CEO Forum also celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the launch of the ICDL program.
The annual Forum is the principal gathering of the worldwide ICDL community, where senior representatives from ICDL member countries meet to discuss various topics including the progress of the ICDL programs in their countries and future awareness programs and strategies. The ICDL CEO Forum provides an opportunity for the ICDL community to examine ICDL case studies, sharing participants’ expertise in the implementation of the ICDL program; and building upon the successes of each other’s experiences.
Jamil Ezzo, Director General, ICDL GCC Foundation, was recognized and acknowledged on behalf of the Gulf Region for its achievements in 2006. Commenting on the Forum, Ezzo said, “We are glad to take part in this forum and participate as a representative of one of the most promising regions. The major achievements of the Gulf region are a result of the collective efforts of all policymakers, our partners and everyone at the Foundation. Today, ICDL has become a standard across the GCC region creating an inclusive social movement toward digital literacy for all section of the society, including government organizations, academic and educational institutions, as well as social unions.”
“We have also been successful in maximising the participation of women and individuals with special needs in our digital literacy program, which reflects on our steadfast commitment to extend the scope of ICDL and digital literacy for all. We are glad that our efforts have been recognised and we are thankful to the governments of all the GCC member states for their relentless support to our efforts,” he added.
Damien O’Sullivan, CEO ECDL Foundation commented, “ICDL GCC Foundation has played an important role in transforming the digital literacy scenario in the Gulf States. This recognition comes at a time when the ICDL program has achieved milestones in the spread of IT literacy in the region. The relentless efforts of ICDL GCC Foundation have resulted in several government departments across the region adopting the ICDL program as a requirement for all office employees at all levels. .”
The GCC region in the recent years has seen a determined implementation of the ICDL program. Presently there are over 800 accredited IT skills training centers in the region and more than 300,000 people involved with the program. Further, the education ministries across the GCC region have implemented the ICDL program as an integral part of their education reform strategy.
The Forum discussed several issues such as the latest strategies to introduce new subjects such as cyber safety, E citizen, social responsibility and computer ethics to the current ICDL syllabus. Present at the forum were also representatives from several IT vendors which discussed areas of cooperation with the Foundation. During the Forum, Awards were given in the categories of excellence, leadership, innovation in implementation, and demonstration of best practices.
Digital literacy has proven a direct impact on socio-economic growth. A few decades back, there had been strong literacy movements throughout the GCC region, driven by a realization that a literate society held the key to sustained social and economic progress. Today, with basic literacy having reached admirable levels and with the increasing use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), the concept of literacy has taken on a new dimension, and has practically been replaced by digital literacy as the new growth-driver.
About ICDL
International Computer Driving License (ICDL), is an internationally recognized computer proficiency standard that is owned by the European Computer Driving License Foundation (ECDL) and introduced by the UNESCO's Cairo Office (UCO) for Arab states in 2001, is gaining increasing acceptance in the Middle East, with several governments adopting and prescribing it to their employees. The ICDL program exists in over 140 countries, and is offered in 36 languages, including Arabic. The programs offered are all based on one standard syllabus and question set. There are more than 26,000 centres worldwide, above 5 million candidates, more than 1 million issued certificates and over 20 million exams have been taken globally since the launch of the program year 1997.
About ICDL GCC Foundation
ICDL GCC Foundation was created by the ECDL Foundation, the not-for-profit global governing body of the ECDL and ICDL member countries dedicated to helping raise the general level of computer skills in societies and providing access for all to the information society, to serve the to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) States with their implementation of ICDL and for providing them with localized support to ensure quality of ICDL programs. The ICDL GCC Foundation is the sole accreditation body that is responsible to support ICDL accredited training and testing centers in the GCC. It also acts as the reviewing and approving body for the local adaptation of ICDL programs.
