the promising opportunities from technology in the ... · the new trend in the united arab emirates...

1Issue 119 - September 2013

Despite the great capabilities that smart devices have for multimedia-rich interaction which is used with great passion by the younger generation, there seems to be lesser support for smart apps in the education sector. Very few education apps tailored to the GCC or UAE curricula are available. This was clear when reviewing the app stores of major smart devices from Apple, Google and Samsung.

This seems strange because electronic publishing tools used in the delivery of curricula are the same used for publishing interactive books or building apps oriented toward smart devices. These wonderful technologies throw light on promising opportunities with high-level interactive educational outputs that the smart education students in our Arab communities should not be deprived of. This is a fact that calls for more attention – concurrently with the actual start of the smart government era - to provide interactive smart applications and build a partnership with the private sector to integrate efforts within controls defined by the government entities to ensure that these interactive educational products are compatible with the systematic requirements selected by the UAE for the education sector.

Of course, the sheer mass of educational programmes online make it difficult for students or their parents to distinguish between the programmes that are compatible with their curricula. This necessitates the organizers of the educational process to to explore the educational applications available to curate what is appropriate to build the students’ educational skills in conformity with the curriculum content for each stage.

***In the same context, I have noticed that the Ministry

of Higher Education and Scientific Research has recently launched a Smart Applications Award in line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, may Allah save him, on smart government. The award is meant to motivate students and encourage universities and students to offer innovative solutions in the area of smart mobile phone applications.

Perhaps such a competition represents a great opportunity for the public sector to benefit from the momentum that can be given by the academic institutions for developing public sector services.

These institutions have a treasure trove of government information and services, which can be used by their academic staff for conducting scientific studies and research. This will ensure a great opportunity for both the public and private sectors to build a successful partnership in which they will be a major component of the UAE vision for securing a leading position at both the national and international levels.

***While the technical side occupies considerable space

when discussing smart government, it is important to note here that this initiative has other aspects which are no less important. The smart government initiative comes with a comprehensive methodology that links all government entities; which His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, underscored with the need to strengthen co-operation between the local governments and the federal government to join hands in this ambitious project, relying on the capabilities and competencies of the people of the UAE.

Director-General, Dubai Smart Government Department

e V i s i o n s

The promising opportunities from technology in the education sector

...

Executive EditorAhmad Bin Humaidan

[email protected]

Chief EditorAmer Al Hamayda

[email protected]

Magazine CoordinatorJamal Khalifa Almulla

[email protected]

English EditorGarth Mitchell

[email protected]

Arabic EditorYaqdhan Mustafa

[email protected]

Graphic Designers Fatima Ibrahim

Ayesha Al [email protected]

Contact e4allDubai Smart Government

Tel: 04-4056274 Fax: 04-3532988P.O.Box: 90300

e-mail: [email protected]

An electronic version can be viewed on www.dubai.aeThe articles in this publication reflect only the author’s opinions and not necessarily those of the Smart Government or its staff. Republishing of material in this publication is not permitted without attribution of this publication as the source.

Editorial

w w w. d s g . g o v . a e

The Official Magazine of Dubai Smart Government

Content

Mohammed Bin Rashid issues regulations on Federal Information security

UAE ranks 1st in the Arab World and 7th globally on “MasterCard” index

Issue No. 119 - September 2013

P. 6

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4Back to Schooleducation eServices and apps via smartphones

P. 4

70 million Arabsuse social networks

P. 8

The vision of Dubai Smart Government is to ease the lives of people and businesses interacting with the government and contribute to establishing Dubai as a leading economic hub.

Dubai Smart Government’s mission is to achieve a virtual government through the provision of high-quality customer focused eServices for individuals, businesses and government departments and to promote eServices adoption through customer management.

Dubai Smart Government promotes eServices through www.dubai.ae - the unified official portal for Dubai Government that provides all residents and businesses of the emirate with more than 1500 electronic services.

e4all is the official magazine of Dubai Smart Government, and helps in creating awareness of eServices to all segments of society and spreading an electronic culture for the well-being of all.

Our Vision


News

Dubai Smart Government hosts meeting for government entities on how to implement Information Security Regulation

Dubai Smart Government has recently organized a meeting for local government entities to raise awareness about the Dubai Government Information Security Regulation (ISR), which was recently approved in both Arabic and English. The new regulation focuses on managing the government information security environment and setting controls that govern it through the development of an integrated and unified policy for information security and the issuance of regulations for the local government, to work in a secure and reliable environment for information storage.

The meeting, which provided comprehensive details about ISR and guidelines regarding its implementation, received a large turnout from the information technology and security sector and the teams that will implement the ISR in the local government entities.

The meeting was held in collaboration with Dubai Government’s Information Security Committee, and focused on the details of resolution No 13 for 2012, which was issued by the Dubai Executive Council, to adopt the best practices that will reduce the risk of information security violations within the framework of the integration of roles among government entities in Dubai.

The meeting also included a detailed explanation of the main structure of ISR which is composed of 12 domains, each of which takes into consideration one major class of information security or more, these being Governance, Operation

and Assurance, at the level of governmental entities, in accordance with common standards. Further, another presentation addressed the guidelines governing the process of ISR implementation according to the timeframe specified by the Information Security Committee, and how to make optimal use of Dubai Smart Government’s technical support system, which enables receiving inquiries and suggestions related to government entities with regard to the Information Security Regulation, in a bid to raise the levels of user satisfaction.

Wesam Lootah, Assistant Director General of Dubai Smart Government and member of Dubai Government’s Information Security Committee, said: “Dubai is steadily marching towards achieving global leadership as a knowledge-based economy. The Information Security Regulation helps Dubai’s efforts to establish a culture of information security among local government entities, which have always strived to provide a secure and reliable environment to store and secure the information of clients and maintain the privacy of government transactions.”

“The adoption of a unified system to ensure the sustainability and security of information represents a quantum leap in our efforts to address the urgent need to adopt an integrated methodology to process, manage, update, store and transfer the vast amount of information available to government entities. The importance of this is further underscored when we take into account the rapid

developments that have paved the way for Dubai to become a knowledge-based society, as well as meet the smart government requirements by providing innovative and secure services and applications for clients according to global standards. ISR provides a solid platform for optimal investment in advanced IT infrastructure that supports the wise leadership’s vision to become one of the top countries in the world by 2021,” he added.

The meeting is part of a series of regular awareness meetings organized by the Information Security Section at Dubai Smart Government to introduce government entities in Dubai to the implementation methods of the Information Security Regulation before these entities submit their plans to Dubai Government’s Information Security Committee ahead of the deadline set for the end of September 2013 by the committee during the First Information Security Forum held last May.

The 12 domains which constitute the structure of information security are Information Security Management and Governance; Information Asset Management; Information Security Risk Assessment; Incident Management; Access Control; Operations, Systems and Communication Management; Business Continuity Planning; Information Systems Acquisition, Development and Management; Environmental and Physical Security; Human Resource Security; Compliance and Audit; and Information Security Assurance. •

4 Issue 119 - September 2013

The back to school season affects families all around us. This season affects the agenda, budget and purchases as well as many other things associated with the education process considered integral for our lives. Naturally, eServices related to education become a critical tool for families to be able to find better education for their children.

Here we review a bouquet of eServices and applications designed for smart phones; consistent with the new trend in the United Arab Emirates toward smart government.

The beginning from the portalDubai offers a comprehensive range of government and

private schools to cater to the multi-cultural diversity of its population. The schools offer national and international curricula like the British, American, French, Indian, and Japanese including the International Baccalaureate. They also provide a range of facilities from sports, creative arts and transport to day-boarding facilities. Most English-speaking schools start their school year term in September. All schools in Dubai are closed in July and August. There is a wide variation in the fees depending on school type, curriculum and facilities.

The portal of Dubai Government Dubai.ae provides an integrated bouquet of life events oriented for education services to citizens and residents. This life event includes the following sub-events:

• Choosing a nursery or childcare • Going to school • Checking out higher education opportunities • Going to a special needs school • Join a library in Dubai

Knowledge and Human Development Authority app

This application offers “Guide for educational institutions”, where users can obtain detailed information about the private schools in the Dubai as well as the other higher education institutions in the free zones in Dubai.

The app provides the following information:• Find all private schools in Dubai, by name, curriculum,

level of performance and the location of the school.• See the level of the performance of the school compared

with the other private schools in Dubai over the past four years.

Cover StoryCover story

Back to SchoolEducation eServices and apps via smartphones


• Find all higher education institutions in the free zones in Dubai, by name, level of study, specialization and the location of the university.

• Get detailed information such as the headquarters of the main university, the number of graduates, the programs offered by the educational institution, in addition to a range of tuition fees for each level of study.

• Access to information to communicate with schools and institutions of higher education and access map.

Abu Dhabi Education Council appThis application is one of the eServices of Abu Dhabi

Education Council. It aims to link between the Council and all the schools and the local community in Abu Dhabi.

The functions provided by the application are as follows:• Search Engine for Schools: allows users to search for

schools using multiple search methods: search engine, advanced search, and search by school name.

• News and Videos: allows users to see the latest developments and announcements, news releases and video clips of the Board.

• Publications: allows users to download the latest publications issued by the Council, such as newsletters, policies, standards, procedures and guidelines for school.

• Contact: allows users to send their comments and suggestions to the Council, with remarks marking information on the geographical location of the place that is being filmed or make a note about it.

Emirati curriculum appThe Ministry of Education has developed this application

for the iPad, iPhone and Android platform. This app provides the school curriculum to the students through the best technology and features. The application aims to provide a new electronic means of communication with students, parents and teachers, enabling the following features:

• Reading the books in Arabic and English.• Downloading the books for each class on demand.• Bookmarking, where a student can bookmark the page

and review these bookmarks in each book separately. • Automatically save the current page. Every time the

student exits the application he/she can resume reading from the same place later.

• Students can write notes in both Arabic and English on the page they want, and review all the notes from the list allocated at the beginning of the book. It can also link the page to that note.

• Finding a book in the library after downloading the books easily by alphabetical search.

Exam templatesThis application aims to provide students with a

comprehensive set of questions and answers prepared by a group of qualified teachers. These sample questions and answers give students the skills to handle real examinations.

Each curriculum contains three different templates to allow the student to take good experience after the completion of the exam. The application features a fine style and easy design. •


In order to achieve the goals of the smart government initiative, it is necessary to take into account the protection of government information as one of the essential components of national security. In order to achieve this goal, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, issued Cabinet Resolution No. 21 for the year 2013, on regulation of information security in federal agencies.

Collective responsibility for information security

The regulation aims to promote the concept of information security at federal agencies and users, determine the criteria for the optimal use of ICT assets, encourage the effective application of cyber-security; and to ensure that those users are aware of and knowledgeable about their obligations in relation to the use of information assets.

The legal frameworkThe regulations aims also to provide a legal framework for

the federal entities to handle the security of information assets, and to create a safe environment in the federal authorities to save information, by ensuring the confidentiality of information network infrastructure, restrict access, modification or access by unauthorized parties to that information. Employees must be aware of handling the risks related to information security and identify potential hazards, and how to address them to ensure business continuity.

Use of emailThe regulation identifies general controls for the use of

official email. It also prohibits the user to send or redirect, transfer, distribution or reply to emails that contain statements defamatory, libelous, abusive, racist or obscene; or include comments abusive of race, sex, color, religion, disability, age, nationality or pornographic materials or materials related to religious beliefs and practices or political in nature.

Mohammed Bin Rashid issues regulations on Federal Information security

New regulations will ensure optimal use of IT assets

Information Security


Confidential informationThe regulation prohibits redirecting, transferring,

distribution or replying to emails that contain confidential information or are in violation of intellectual property rights, and to send or redirect, transfer, distribution or reply to emails that include attachments that contain viruses or any software piracy, cause sabotage or have contents forbidden by law.

It also forbids opening spam email messages, which should be deleted from the email system. It also prohibits the use of official email for personal purposes. The regulation prohibits the user from sending emails for personal, commercial, religious or political reasons, or to participate in charitable causes without prior permission, or to use email to impersonate another person, and do send or redirect, transfer, distribution or reply to emails when you use your email system to another person. And prohibits the introduction of any changes to the electronic content of the message or change the date and time, source, or the label, or any other information. The user should also examine and verify files attached to electronic messages and ensure they do not contain viruses or malicious code.

Email to mobile

Email through mobiles represents a real security challenge, as is this smart device contains both government and personal information. The regulation has identified controls for the use of government email on mobiles. Users must have access locks with passwords as a minimum security feature and inform their helpdesk if they have lost their mobiles or intend to sell them, so that the ‘security wipe’ feature can be used. Users are expected to sign confidential undertakings which set out their responsibilities and the settings they must apply while using email on their mobiles and computers. The regulation indicates that all outgoing email messages via email should include disclaimer footer, and the user must be sure to use passwords that are safe and effective and saved securely at all times.

Safe browsing on the InternetThe regulation controls the use of the Internet at work

which must be for work purposes only, and not for access to restricted sites, or that contain content that is prohibited. Users should not engage in any activity that would virus attacks, nor should they download or install software without the consent of their competent unit.

AntivirusThe regulation identifies antivirus software that controls

the units and users in federal agencies, as well as the use of IT assets controls and controls that remotely connect devices to the network and controls the use for federal desktop and laptop computers. It includes controls for backup software, shared folders and for restoring information.

Degrees of confidentialityThe regulation sets degrees of confidentiality for

documents, information and people who have the right to access information. It classified access into four grades: top secret, classified, prohibited and public access. The regulation also covers access via Wi-Fi and requirements which must be identified to control storage and the official data in the public domain. The regulation lists the sanctions that apply to those who violate its provisions, as stipulated in the penal laws.

National cornerstoneCommenting on the issuance of this regulation HE Ahmed

Bin Humaidan, Director General of Dubai Smart Government and Head of the Information Security Committee in the Dubai Government: "The issuance of this document at the federal level contributes significantly to the information security in the UAE, and will be the foundation for integration of all information security systems in the different Emirates."

He added: "The regulation of the Federal Information Security has great value to us in Dubai since we will use it use in raising the level of our regulations for information security, which was released by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council. It complements our needs in the synchronizing our information security with those of other emirates. It is considered a starting point towards building smart security uniformity in the UAE, reinforced by the highest standards and controls necessary to protect the security of government information."

Bin Humaidan clarified that Dubai Smart Government will take into account all the guidelines and instructions set forth in these regulations while applying its own Information Security Regulations in the Government of Dubai, in order to reach a uniform level of information security in all government institutions in the UAE. •


A recent regional study by Go-Gulf Establishment showed expanding user base and the proliferation of social networks in the Arab region. The study estimated the high number of users of the main social networking on the Internet including Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, to finally score a total of 70.3 million users in the Arab world until the middle of this year. The number of Arab users of the three networks reached 52 million subscribers at the end of the first half of last year, which means that the number rose by 35% within 12 months.

Facebook on the top with Twitter second, while LinkedIn was third

The study by GoGulf (which is an international online web app design and development company), showed that Facebook was the most popular social media and accounted for the lion’s share of the total users of social networks with about 82.5% of users estimated at 58 million users. Twitter came in second to capture a share of 9.3% of the total users of networks with nearly 6.5 million users. LinkedIn which is used by professionals for networking and jobs, accounted for a smaller share with an 8.3% stake amounting to about 5.8 million users.

Key demographics including language and gender

According to the study, the majority of Internet users or 88% of Internet users in the Middle East are using social networks on a daily basis. Social networking witnessed over

the past three years has experienced an unprecedented boom in the region, and become a platform to deliver news and broadcasts and to express opinions, share knowledge and make friends.

Furthermore, the study showed that both the English and Arabic were the most commonly used languages with English language used by 48% of the total network users while Arabic was used by 45%.

The distribution of social network users by gender shows that up to 65% of social networking users are male, while the figure was 35% for females. •

Social Networks

70 million Arabs use social networks

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Why UAE launched the smart government?

We review in this infographic the differences between eGovernment and smart government that prompted the decision-maker in the UAE to be aware of the need to go smart government, and how this approach is a natural progression for the eGovernment.

Vanishing differencesWith the great development in the

specifications of smart phones and portable devices the difference between PC and mobile phone are almost nonexistent. Except for size, both are powerful in terms of processor speed, storage space, and the ability to deal with advanced calculations such as sound processing and advanced image and video editing functions for high definition format.

Additional functionalityOn the other hand mobile devices

outperform PCs with many aspects, such as:1. Connectivity to the various types of

data and voice networks such as 3G and 4G networks, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth as well as near field communication NFC.

2. Support for GPS.3. The availability of high-quality camera

with ability to produce images tagged with information such as geographical location of the image.

4. Support for accelerometer and orientation.

5. Support from some mobile phone biometrics.

6. Integration with telecommunication provider payment system, allowing widespread applications for ePayment.

7. Balance transfer, can also be transformed into transferring real amounts of money.•

Infographic


mPayment

UAE ranks 1st in the Arab World

and 7th globally on “MasterCard” index

In a recent report issued by MasterCard which measured the ability of the mobile phone as a payment tool instead of plastic cards, the UAE ranked first regionally and seventh internationally on the MasterCard Readiness Index Mobile Payment 2013 Report.

The UAE achieved 37.9 points on the index, which measures six key factors, namely: 1. The readiness of consumers to use mobile payments2. The extent of the partnership between the

government3. Usage by banks and telecommunications companies4. The economic environment and current technology5. The worker population in the market6. The penetration of financial products in the market

and the legislative environment

Force of mobile phonesAccording to a survey conducted by Google, UAE is

currently ranked first in the world in terms of access to smart phones with up to 62% of consumers owning smart phones showing an annual growth rate of 18%.

The report considered that UAE is among the most powerful six countries in the world in terms of the partnership between the public sector, banks and telecommunications companies and that was comparable to Canada, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Colombia.

Legislation systemIn the legislative criteria ranking, the UAE comes in

at a very advanced rank with world-class controls and strong partnership between public sector, banks and telecommunication companies. This indicates that the UAE market is ready to adopt payment solutions based on smart phones to be one of the leading countries in this field.

Infrastructure readinessIn spite of limited mobile payment solutions in the

UAE, and the Middle East in general, the UAE includes a broad category of enthusiastic consumers who are open to technology and willing to adopt the latest payment solutions available. The UAE has the necessary infrastructure to support the new trends in the field of electronic payment via smartphones, which include payment solutions depending on the near field communication (NFC), or e-commerce

sites that offer applications and services via mobile phones. It also includes phone-oriented payment solutions to the categories of workers who have limited access for smart phones, by transferring funds from one person to another. The technology currently used in the field of call balance transfer, can also be transformed into transferring real amounts of money.

Technical and banking collaborationIn its efforts to build infrastructure for mobile e-wallets;

MasterCard has cooperated with Network International, to install 1500 devices equipped with NFC scanning technology in public places such as cafes, fast-food restaurants and sales outlets. Cooperation is underway with Mashreq Bank to launch a range of contactless payment platforms solutions in the UAE market.

These efforts are supported by a number of entities capable to issue contactless payment card, including Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, Dubai First, Emirates NBD and Mashreq Bank.

Prospects for modernizationSmartphones e-wallets, the Dubai Government unified

payment gateway and mPay suggests an exceptional opportunity to launch the largest eServices to build an environment for a new economy and a developed mechanism for trading in the UAE. This will be the foundation of new types of e-commerce as well as traditional trade. It will open horizons to promote prosperity in the UAE and enhance the business and trade climate in a comprehensive manner, as per the aspirations of the goals of the UAE Vision 2021. •


Smart Applications Award from the

Ministry of Higher Education

Scientific research in the service of government action

Initiatives

Scientific research in the service of government

Based on the keenness of the leadership to strengthen the role of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in the provision of government services in accordance with best international standards, the Ministry launched the Smart Applications Award in line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, for smart government.

The award seeks to stimulate and encourage universities and students to offer innovative and imaginative solutions in the field of smart phone apps.

Objectives of the AwardThe award targets university students who represent

the driving force of global communications and information revolution. The most important of these goals are:• Provisioning of MOHESR services according to the

highest international standards and excellence by raising the efficiency of these services, and support continuous improvement and development in the higher education sector in the country.

• Supporting scientific research, encourage creativity and innovation and contribute to the creation of a knowledge society.

• Developing a spirit of innovation, invention, and motivate talents and abilities among students.

• Strengthening strategic partnerships with public and private institutions of higher education.

• Utilizing student’s energies, and urging them to compete in scientific and technical fields.

• Increasing the level of customer satisfaction through the realization of their needs and exceeding their expectations.

Award CategoriesThe smart applications types included in the award are:

• Mobile native apps hosted on major app stores (iOS, Android, Windows and Blackberry)

• Web services via mobile phones portals developed by HTML 5

• Technical solutions utilizing SMS (SMS)• Creative applications

Award CriteriaThe award criteria includes:

1. Efficiency and effectiveness2. Ease of Use3. Creativity and innovation

General conditions for participation1. Participation is restricted only for the registered

and enrolled student at the University of the United Arab Emirates and Khalifa University of Science, Technology and Research.

2. Students should be in groups represented by the university, where they must form a team of 2-5 students maximum

3. The application must be linked to one of the main services / sub / complementary, to the Ministry

4. Must be linked to applications / solutions with one of the ministry services

5. In the case of participation via mobile phone application, it should be published on one of the app stores.

6. Must develop phone applications and solutions at the university and by the students themselves.

Awards and rewards• First prize: AED 100,000.• Second prize: AED 50,000.• Third prize: AED 30,000. •


Steve Jobs, founder of Apple, was one of the most influential people in the IT industry in the modern era. He did not stop launching products and initiatives that have changed the face of technology as we know it leaving behind one of the largest companies in the world, in addition to millions of devices in the hands of loyal customers. In order to ensure success in the smart government initiative, we should understand the not just the smartphone but the smartphone eco-system or app market, so as to understand the challenges of smart government

Perhaps Steve Jobs was not wrong when he claimed that Apple had had re-invented the mobile phone when it introduced the iPhone, which was part of a vital eco-system. The components of this eco-system are:

1. Touch screens on a simple operating system with support for GPS, accelerometer and other functions.

2. Ease of Internet access even while roaming

3. Smart apps linked to a secure payment eco-system.

This triangle of features made the new mobile phone the center for consumer entertainment and activities, surpassing it as a tool talk or message. This intelligent solution was quickly

copied by competitors, and eventually became the trend of the new smart phones revolution.

Battle for appsPerhaps among the component of

the solution triangle for smart phones, the most important part is the app store. The quality and quantity of applications available on the store define the boundary between intelligent phone and other devices.

The keenness of Steve Jobs to maintain full control on their app store made Apple use every imaginable encryption technology to secure the content and applications source to be limited through iTunes only. Many programmers who tried to customize their phones had to literally ‘jail-break’ as the term is popularly called.

How app stores work?The app store generate revenues

through two main sources; first is: selling applications, songs, movies and books, where the company will charge a commission of approximately 30% of the sales price for hosting the assets, e-payment gateway services and promotion. The second is the advertising that appears mainly on the free apps.

Store interface designThe app store interface is designed

to highlight applications according

ePresence

Government presence on

the app stores: challenges and

solutions


to their popularity and driven by expectations of sales or advertising. Purely commercial motives govern the app store homepage irrespective of whether it is Google Play, Blackberry app world, Windows or Apple’s app store

The same happens with the search results in the stores; as profitable apps will come first, which differs completely from results seen while searching on the Internet.

Smart government presenceAfter reviewing the app stores, it is

clear that there is a great challenge facing the application of government services, which is distributed for free and target a limited audience of users. These applications will be hardly visible on the homepage or search results of the commercial app stores.

Therefore, the government must adopt a new strategy to ensure visibility of government apps. They can communicate directly with the companies managing these stores, so perhaps key government apps can be loaded directly through the system settings when the device is connected to the mobile network. This strategy can reduce years of promotion and marketing to create awareness among the public for the adoption of government smart applications. •

New online school system to simplifyacademic attestation in Dubai

Request for DEWA final bill online

Attesting academic certificates from Dubai’s private schools has become easier for parents and schools through a new online process initiated by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA).The move is in line with the Government of Dubai’s Smart Government programme, which aims to bring government services seamlessly and directly to residents.

Electronic attestation is made possible through KHDA’s online schools system, which allows schools to apply through their desktops, laptops or smartphones. Once applications have been received from schools, KHDA will issue certificates with a QR authorization tag linking back to students’ academic records. Schools

can obtain the final certificates in both hard copy and PDF format, which can be saved online and sent to parents electronically.

All students registered in Dubai’s private schools are required to provide attested certificates before enrolling at a new school in Dubai or overseas. In addition to ensuring the swift completion of the attestation process, the new online system can be used to transfer students between schools and provide school leaving certificates.

The electronic attestation of academic certificates will make the whole process more convenient for schools, parents and students. For KHDA this is the start of a very successful initiative and there will be more smart services to come in the future.

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority has announced the launch of a new online campaign targeting customers to do the registration of new accounts or settle the final bill through its website www.dewa.gov.ae. This service enables the registration in the accounts and paying the amount of deposit for the account in case of moving to a new residence as well as requesting for the final invoice with the deposit refund in case of changing residence.

The launch of this campaign comes as part of DEWA’s efforts to provide eServices that are easier and more convenient in accordance with the highest international standards. To encourage its customers to adopt these services and save their time and effort, the two new services eliminate the need to visit DEWA’s service centres, except in case of collection of deposit money.

جهاز الرقابة المدرسية في دبي

نـحـو مـدارس أفضـل أداًءأداء المدارس الخاصة في دبي


mGovernment

Mobile applications for health services and treatment in Dubai

In accordance with the vision of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and the Ruler of Dubai, the government has vowed to provide its services and to the people of Dubai through online and digital based means in order to ease

and simplify the way of life. We will showcase various apps from both government and private sector to illustrate how people are using mobile services to interact with government to ease their lives. Stay tuned for more mobile apps in our forthcoming issues.

Ministry of Health - Android

This application provides a comprehensive range of Ministry of Health services in the UAE, including direct contact with doctors, request for an ambulance, finding the addresses of hospitals and health centres in UAE and follow up request status with the ministry, in addition to many other eServices from the ministry.

FREE

FREE

FREE

FREE

Dubai Health Care City - IPhone

This application allows you to find a doctor in Dubai Health Care City in any specialty, in addition to search for hospitals, pharmacies and various clinics licensed in Dubai Healthcare City.

Dubai Health Authority - iPhone/ Android

This application provides access to the eServices, news and events of the Dubai Health Authority. You can also use it for miscellaneous health utility features such as calculating your body mass index (BMI) or viewing a directory of all health facilities and hospitals in Dubai.

Aster - iPhone

This application provides detailed guide to all medical centers, hospitals and pharmacies, managed by Aster Medical Group, which is one of the large medical groups in the UAE.

DHABy Dubai Health Authority

DHCC Find a DoctorBy TECOM Investments

Ministry of Health UAEBy MoH UAE

Aster By Dhaval Desai


Monitor

The RTA Licensing Agency announced that it would not accept cash payments or vehicle registration renewals from companies at any RTA’s centres as of August 1, 2013.Also; companies will not be able to apply at an RTA centre for a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to renew their Trade License.

This step is part of a series of policies that change how companies transact at RTA’s centres aiming to make the services provided to them as streamlined and as transparent as possible. These policies are supported by a new payment mode called e-wallet. This is a free debit service within RTA that was designed for companies.

The company sets up their account and loads money into the account that is used to pay for Licensing Agency services, which are vehicle and driver services. The service is fraud resistant

and allows fund transfer at the time of the transaction. The eWallet payment mode can be used for online payments as well as payments at RTA centres and at RTA partner sites.

The RTA also has a wide range of services available through its Internet service. Companies can renew vehicle registrations and most other transactions from their office in minutes. In most cases there is no need to visit an RTA office. The internet service also allows a company to apply for a No Objection for a Trade License Renewal and pay with a credit card or e-wallet.

The no-cash policy and the no vehicle registration renewal policy will first apply to companies with more than 500 vehicles from 1 August 2013.However; these policies will apply to all companies before the end of 2013. What this means to private individuals is less corporate clients in RTA centres

that will improve customer service and reduce waiting times for private individuals. These policies are good for companies and private individuals. There is no need for companies to be in RTA centres, overcrowding the centres and slowing service delivery for others, when they can do all their transactions from their office.

The introduction of the e-wallet means companies are now not reliant on cash or credit cards to make payments to the RTA. The RTA recently introduced these policies at a rental industry briefing that many of Dubai’s leading companies did not attend. It is disappointing that some of the industry’s leading companies do not attend these briefings to be aware of changing policies that will impact their businesses.

More information on the new policies and when they apply is available on the RTA’s website www.rta.ae.

No cash payment for firms at Dubai’s RTA

Etisalat advocates greener future through e-bill initiative

Etisalat took another step in the green direction by announcing they would begin implementation of the e-bill initiative across all services in a phased manner from September 1. This transformation of current billing methods to new generation environmentally friendly e-bills will ensure customers have access to their account information 24/7 across the world and can view their details online or though their mobile devices.

Other benefits directly enhancing customer experience include ability to get specific information on time and pay bills with relative ease.

This initiative is aligned with its short and long term strategies of attaining operational excellence, raising customer awareness and ultimately creating a sustainable environment in the country. According to a recent survey conducted by Etisalat, 72% customers have expressed willingness to replace hard copies of their monthly statements with e-bills. Etisalat printed 60,772,179 bills in 2012, using 304 tons of paper, which equals to cutting down 7293 trees. About 10% consumers and 35% business users of the existing subscriber base have chosen e-bills since the telecom major introduced the option in January this year.

According to a report published in October 2012 by the Indonesian Pulp and Paper Association, one of the world’s biggest associations specializing in paper, Middle East countries consumed 19 million tons of paper in 2011, and this figure was expected to grow to 29 million tons over eight years.

DHA asks health sector to update details on ‘Sheryan’

The Dubai Health Authority (DHA), which is responsible for the regulation of all health facilities and professionals in Dubai (except for Dubai Healthcare City), has issued a circular to the health sector asking them to update their details on the online licensing system known as “Sheryan”.

The online system that was launched in the last quarter of 2011, has conducted more than 431,404 e-transactions since its launch. It provides healthcare facilities, investors and healthcare professionals an e-application system which results in a paperless environment.

The licensing system is currently applicable for 117 specialized and will facilitate further investment in healthcare in Dubai. Today, a doctor or a healthcare professional can apply to practice in Dubai from any part of the world through this system.

This system will provide an impetus to invest in the sector and is of great convenience to healthcare professionals. For instance, an investor who has established a new hospital in Dubai would require 200-300 nurses. He or she no longer needs to bring the nurses to Dubai and apply for their license. The nurses can apply for the license online from their home country, so this saves time, money and makes the process very simple.


Sallety means ‘my basket’ in Arabic and is a consumer service offered by the Dubai Economic Development Department via its dedicated website: www.sallety.ae

Find product price via ‘Sallety’ from Dubai Economic Development Department

For more information and inquiries please contact ‘Ahlan Dubai’ service on the number:

600 545555

The home page includes multiple services offered by “Sallety” portal, which includes search for prices, follow-up promotions and make a complaint.

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eServices Wizard

To search for a particular product price, it must be chosen from the main categories of products. When choosing the category the details will appear, in addition to the sales outlets offering this item to customers.

After identification of the products and the outlet. Click on the link “Find price”, to show the prices. In case of the absence of the availability of the product from the shopping outlet, the result will show “NA” in place of the price.

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