The International Conference on Communication, Management and Information Technology (ICCMIT

The International Conference on Communication, Management and Information Technology (ICCMIT 2018) April 4th-7th, 2018 | Madrid, Spain Proposed Workshop: “Re-engineering Higher Education for the Digital Age: Exploring the Power of Technology” Workshop Overview

ICTs have impacted today almost every facet of our lives and are considered a key driver for the socio economic development of our nations. Educators and policy makers are more than ever recognizing the added value ICTs can bring to the education field; not only in terms of widening access, providing flexibility and reducing costs but also in terms of the potential it has transform the education system to a more student centric, open and responsive learning system.

ICTs whether used as a main mean of delivery (i.e. e-learning and hybrid learning) or integrated within the traditional learning system (i.e. flipped learning) have the potential to empower both students and professors, improve students’ motivation and engagement and improve the overall learning experience.

Nevertheless and despite the well-recognized benefits and opportunities ICTs can provide to the field of education; the effective deployment of ICTs in higher education can be challenging and requires careful consideration clear and specific vision, set of objectives, and time-bound targets to be set, institutional commitment , a ‘buy-in’ from different stakeholders and strong leadership support . It also requires the mobilization of resources to support such initiatives and to the need to build capacity among various stakeholders. Having a clear framework to adopt ICTs in education is thus imperative to the success its success. Main Objectives:

This workshop will provide participants with a platform to :

 discuss how ICTs can be effectively integrated into higher education (models, strategies, etc.)

 discuss latest trends and developments in relation to the integration of ICT in HE  consider various challenges and issues (i.e. policy issues, QA and accreditation, social acceptance, technology readiness, etc. ) associated with the integration of ICT and define strategies to overcome them

 identify key issues to consider when integration ICT in the context of higher education

 present how ICT can improve teaching and learning in specific (i.e. discuss different modes)

 develop a roadmap for the integration of ICTs at an institutional level

 identify how we can we measure the impact of ICTs on teaching and student learning Who Should Attend?

 Academicians and faculty members wanting to explore the integration of different forms of technology within teaching and learning

 Higher education leaders (Deans, Provosts, PVCs, etc) interested in exploring how different forms of technology integration can be adopted and what potential benefits it can provide

 Educational technologist responsible for proposing, deploying and evaluating technologies within their respective universities and colleges

Dr Narimane Hadj-Hamou Dr. Narimane is the Founder and the CEO of the Center of Learning Innovations and Customized Knowledge Solutions (CLICKS), which supports higher education capacity building across the region. Previously she has assumed the role of the Assistant Chancellor for Learning and Academic Development (Provost) at the Hamdan Bin Mohammed e- University (HBMeU), in Dubai, UAE where she has established and led the academic, research and eLearning vision of the first online University to be recognized and accredited by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in the UAE. During her role as an assistant chancellor for Learning and Academic Development, she has led the design, development and accreditation of several academic programs including doctoral degrees, established international links, overseen the institution’s research strategy and agenda, designed faculty development programs and worked extensively with her team on establishing an institutional wide culture of quality and excellence.

She has held other senior positions including acting as the Dean for Learning and Technologies and the Dean of Student Services.

She has been the driving force in the promotion of online education and blended learning in the Region by leading many pioneering projects and initiatives including creating awareness and education on eLearning, encouraging and engaging in regional and international research community in the field, developing strategies and frameworks for implementing online education and establishing associations and networking organizations that are dedicated to the promotion of open, innovative and flexible education and promote the principles of partnerships, knowledge transfer and sharing best practice thinking.

She is Founder and was the first elected President of the Middle East eLearning Association (MEeA), the first Arab regional association addressing eLearning in the North African and Middle Eastern area and has also led and established the MENA Association of University Presidents as an independent, non-political, non- for profit, professional and academic regional association of chief executive officers from Higher Education Institutions within the Middle East and Northern African region.

Over the years she has delivered more than 100 keynote addresses, workshops, led roundtables and panel discussions in many countries including the UAE, Hungary, Germany, Lebanon, Malaysia, the UK, Qatar, Sudan, Italy, among many others. Dr. Hadj-Hamou has also been active in publishing articles, book chapters, case studies, and was the founder and editor of the International Journal of Excellence in eLearning for several years. She was also the founder and chair of the e-Learning Excellence Forum and is today the chair of the MENA Higher Education Leadership Forum.

Dr. Narimane consults for various HEIs across countries and serves as an expert for various regional UNESCO offices. In addition she acts as an external reviewer for accreditation agencies and provides advice on QA related matters.