The world's largest women-only university in Saudi Arabia will now have access to digital learning technology that will benefit about 12,000 new students.
Riyadh's Princess Noura University has partnered with education solutions provider Pearson to provide its preparatory year students with IT course content for tablet devices as part of the University's efforts to build a world class digital learning environment for its students.
The agreement represents the rapid move towards digital learning in Saudi's higher education sector, as the government continues to channel unprecedented funds into creating a world class education system in the country, a statement said.
The content will be delivered through Pearson's MyLabs e-learning technology, an online homework and tutorial system that is used by tertiary institutions around the world.
As part of its education reforms, the Saudi Arabian government has invested heavily in women education. Around 60 per cent of the country's graduates are now women, with an increasing number of young Saudi women attaining both bachelor's and post graduate degrees.
While women participation in the workforce remains low by international standards, it is nevertheless improving -- tripling between 1992 and 2010.
Tapping into women productivity brings with it significant economic benefits for the country, including a reduction in unemployment figures and an increase in competition, innovation and entrepreneurship.
These gains are being built on by the digital learning initiatives being implemented in learning institutions across the country.
The Saudi Government has introduced a unified, national e-learning strategy which will help universities to make e-learning a focus of their activities, replacing their curricula with digital materials.
The introduction of e-learning into Saudi's universities is particularly beneficial for women, as flexible learning options allow women to overcome traditional barriers to higher education, such as distance, cost and social norms.
Pearson's Saudi Arabia Country Manager, Mohammed Asiri said, "MyLabs technology is used by over 11 million students around the world each year. The technology allows instructors and students to reinforce course concepts in a way that targets the strengths and weaknesses of each student.
He said providing young Saudi women with excellent digital and IT skills will play a significant role in the country's economy as a whole.
