Interactive University Extends Global Reach To Africa

LONDON, Jan 19 - Interactive University (IU), Scotland`s global education distributor, has announced its entry into the African market and the signing of its first local marketing partner, ZICAB (Zambian Institute for Capacity Building), a training, education and development agency.

ZICAB`s involvement will contribute to the marketing, recruitment and distribution of Scottish programmes throughout Zambia, concentrating initially on Heriot-Watt University`s Management Programme and Stirling`s MBA. ZICAB is a privately managed professional company which aims at training a large number of people in the public and private sectors of the Zambian economy to ensure that their ambitions to maximise employment and education levels and improve poverty in the nation is achieved.

Interactive University has already signed over 20 students in Africa and an estimated 250 are expected to sign up to the Heriot-Watt Management Programme alone over the next three years. The Management Programme, which is supported by ZICAB through web supported learning, is the first of its kind to be offered in the country.

This announcement follows on from IU`s Singaporean deal, signed in the last quarter of 2003 with Nanyang Institute of Management for an estimated GBP6 million. Despite only being in their first year of development, IU now hosts up to 80,000 students from around the world, studying for Scottish qualifications.

David Farquhar, Interactive University`s Chief Operating Officer said, "ZICAB`s role will be a superb contribution to the continued overseas success of IU. Its wealth of local knowledge will be a huge asset towards marketing our courses to students throughout Africa."

Sandford A Mupanga, the Executive Director of ZICAB said "The courses that IU provide will be greatly welcomed by African students and will offer a viable, practical and cost-effective way to earn a degree from prestigious Scottish universities. We have great ambitions for our partnership and are incredibly enthusiastic about leading the way for e-learning in Africa."

Source: M2 Presswire