JEDDAH, 15 September 2003 — Some of the overseas participants exhibiting at the annual computer and education show here have said they aim to establish and expand their presence in this part of the world through local partners or agents.
“We’ve 10 participants, all first-timers, for the show. Some of them represent prestigious institutions conducting courses in hotel management, business management, and English and other languages. All of them are here to attract students,” Swiss Consul Jakob Fehr told Arab News during the inauguration of the six-day twin show — CommTel and Middle East Education and Training (MEETES) at the Jeddah International and Convention Center yesterday.
King Abdul Aziz University President Professor Osama ibn Sadik Tayeb, who inaugurated the exhibition, urged students to take advantage of information made available by computer firms and education institutions. “This show will be advantageous for students, as the new academic session has just commenced and they can plan their future by seeking enrolment or opting for courses of their choice and liking,” he said.
British Council is registering students for its various language courses at the exhibition. “We have successfully conducted two summer courses for young learners. We’re now registering adult learners for a five-week language course,” British Council’s Western Province Director Allen Swales said. “It’s now ‘back to normal’ for us and we’re also planning English language courses during the upcoming month of Ramadan aside from five to six regular courses in an academic year,” he added. The council had suspended its courses for some months in the recent past in the wake of regional developments.
Thirteen Taiwanese companies are showcasing their computers and computer peripherals. “We’re taking part in the show for the first time, as we like to test the scope of market for our products in this part of the world,” said Taiwan Trade Center’s Pin-Jiun Chen. “Taiwan’s IT industry is very strong and we’ve the latest technology. We’re looking for local agents and distributors,” said David Kao of Soyo Computer Inc., which has been manufacturing computer boards, components and accessories for over 20 years in Taiwan.
“CommTel was launched over a decade ago as an international event for computing, computer shopper and communications.
Internet and mobile phones were included in the show after they were introduced in the Kingdom,” said a spokesman for Al-Harithy Company for Exhibitions Ltd., which has organized the event.
