SAP launches eAcademy

KARACHI: One of the world’s largest inter-enterprise software companies, System Application Products (SAP) launched its eAcademy in Pakistan on Thursday. It had recently launched e-academies in India and China.

Mike Bramwell, Vice President and Head Field Services of SAP, said that the world’s need for e-learning was increasing and there was a need of high quality training programmes. He said that SAP has tried to provide such opportunity in Pakistan.

Bramwell stated this while talking to the media at the launch of SAP’s eAcademy at a local hotel.

He also said that a number of Pakistanis working abroad in multinationals have good prospects to take this opportunity at home as SAP provides high-quality training programmes at economical costs.

Bramwell said that Pakistan is a strategic market for SAP and that with the launch of the eAcademy the company was confident that this will prove to be most effective in encouraging more and more people to obtain SAP certification and pursue an attractive career in SAP.

Waqas Naved Siddiqi, Director Field Services SAP Pakistan, while talking to The Express Tribune said the eAcademy will not only reduce the cost of different modules (courses) that SAP offers but it will also improve the quality of programmes.

The average cost of SAP module was $6,000, which is now around $3,000 depending upon the module. SAP operates through its partners in Pakistan, he added.

At the launch of the event, four partners of SAP Pakistan – Abacus Consulting, VMS (Virtual Matrix Synergies Pvt Ltd), Siemens and SuperNova solutions signed MoU with SAP Pakistan as the official providers of SAP eAcademy training.

Raza Haroon, Sindh Minister for Information Technology, commented that his ministry would support SAP on its eAcademy. He said that provincial IT ministries have a very limited role in Pakistan compared to the federal ministry for IT, but Sindh IT ministry would try its best to help IT investment in the province.

“Since eAcademy is helpful for our local industry and for our people, our ministry would like to extend any possible help to SAP on this initiative,” said Haroon.

SAP is the world’s leading provider of business software, offering applications and services. Today, SAP has more than 140,000 certified professionals worldwide.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 9^th, 2010.