Arab Open University and Macromedia University have agreed on a long-term cooperation. The focus is on further training for the academic staff of Arab Open University. An initial training session on digital teaching formats took place in June. Now the Macromedia team with Prof. Dr. Mohamed Badr, Nanette Willberg and Alexander Roth is working on further topics.
Focus on virtual classroom teaching: developing peer learning formats
Arab Open University has commissioned Macromedia University with the conception and implementation of various training courses for its university staff. How can courses be successfully transferred to virtual presence? How can a manifold study experience be created online? Following a successful pilot event in June 2021, Prof. Dr. Mohamed Badr and the Munich team will develop further online training courses by the end of the year.
Dr. Hisham Eltahawy, Head of Training, Continuous Education and Community Service Center from Arab Open University: “We are very pleased with Macromedia University’s performance. They develop their trainings on the basis of cutting-edge experience in virtual face-to-face teaching. As multi-campus universities with portfolios revolving around management and communication, we are also very much alike in terms of the mind-set of the instructors. That’s why the trainings are designed as peer learning and very well accepted.”
The Open Arab University was established as a foundation at the personal initiative of Prince Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. With campuses in all Arab states except Quatar it is intended to ensure the academization of the population. Since it is traditionally British universities that guide the development of the higher education sector in Arab countries, the cooperation with the German Macromedia is quite unusual:
“This is a great opportunity for which we are very grateful,” says Prof. Dr. Mohamed Badr, initiator and project manager of the cooperation. “The development of an academic continuing education program for external customers is an important strategic goal of Macromedia University. The fact that we can open up a new market segment at the same time is great and, of course, an additional incentive for me as a native Egyptian.”
(IMH)