LPI and UNDP/UNESCO promote Linux education in Middle East

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(Sacramento, CA, USA: November 16, 2009) – The Linux
Professional Institute (LPI), the world’s premier Linux
certification organization (http://www.lpi.org), announced that its
affiliate, LPI-Middle East, had signed an agreement with Ma3bar
initiative (http://www.ma3bar.org/) to promote the adoption of Free
and Open Source software throughout the Arab world. Ma3bar is an
Arab Support Centre for Free and Open Source Software established
by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO),
and the University of Balamand, Al-Kurah, Lebanon. “LPI has worked
with a number of UN sponsored initiatives over the years to promote
the use of Open Source technology in developing countries. We
welcome these joint efforts as it enables LPI to further our
mission of advancing Linux professionalism. This agreement with
Ma3bar will greatly enhance the impact of our affiliate, LPI-Middle
East, in promoting Linux education and our globally-recognized
certification program,” said Jim Lacey, president and CEO of LPI.

The agreement between LPI-Middle East and the Ma3bar support
center included the following key proposed activities within the
region:

– promotion of Linux education and LPI certification within
post-secondary curriculum in universities

– improvements to the quality of Linux and Open Source training

– delivery of both Linux certification and curriculum

– establish a local examination center to increase local
competencies and skills in Linux

– develop an Arabic-speaking community within the Linux and Open
Source context

– present executive workshops, public conferences, academic
seminars and other forums that promote Linux and Open Source

The agreement was signed during a launch event of Ma3bar at the
Beirut office of UNESCO and was sponsored by Lebanon’s Ministry of
Education and Higher Education and LPI-Middle East on November 5,
2009. During the event Balamand University also signed a contract
with LPI-Middle East to become an LPI-Approved Academic Partner
providing training towards LPI certification in the region.

The Linux Professional Institute is globally supported by the IT
industry, enterprise customers, community professionals, government
entities and the educational community. LPI’s certification program
is supported by an affiliate network spanning five continents and
is distributed worldwide in multiple languages at more than 7,000
testing locations. Since 1999, LPI has delivered over 200,000 exams
and 70,000 LPIC certifications around the world.

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About the Linux Professional Institute:

The Linux Professional Institute promotes and certifies
essential skills on Linux and Open Source technologies through the
global delivery of comprehensive, top-quality, vendor-independent
exams. Established as an international non-profit organization in
September 1999 by the Linux community, the Linux Professional
Institute continues to demonstrate recognized global leadership in
the certification of Linux professionals. LPI advances the Linux
and Open Source movement through strategic partners, sponsorships,
innovative programs and community development activities. LPI’s
major financial sponsors are Platinum Sponsors IBM, Linux Journal,
Linux Magazine, Novell, SGI, and TurboLinux as well as Gold
Sponsors, HP and IDG.

About Ma3bar:

“Ma3bar” is the Arab Support Center for Free and Open Source
Software. Since its inception by UNDP-ICTDAR, UNESCO, and the
University of Balamand, the center strives to disseminate free and
open source software as a philosophy and culture in academia and
Arab societies. Ma3bar is committed to contributing to social and
economic development in the Arab region by promoting the use and
development of free and open source software, and by developing and
conducting training programs on such software, to ensure that more
Arab communities have affordable access to information
technologies.

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