The New Nation - Internet Edition

Pro-active programmes needed to resolve supply-side constraints

IT Report

Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS) should take more pro-active roles in addressing the supply-side constraints, particularly relating to human resources development said Feroz Ahmed, Secretary of Ministry of Commerce at the Final Dissemination Workshop on IT-Upgrade Project on Saturday.

He said, "I hope that in future European Union will continue to assist BASIS to make significant contribution to the development of our IT professionals and ultimately the expansion and strengthening of our IT export."

IT sector would be able to contribute in country's economy he opined.

BASIS in collaboration with University of Bremen of Germany and Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIP) organized the workshop on "Know-how transfer and training in the area of software development and production" at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Centre.

Under the project, a training programme on "systems software" and "multimedia application and production" is conducted to upgrade the knowledge and compatibilities of IT-Professionals for enhancement of quality and process management to meet the expectation of EU companies for outsourcing. Five Trainers are designed among the participants (professionals from 35 companies) to disseminate the acquired knowledge and capabilities to professionals of other software companies. Certificates are also distributed among the participants of these training programmes.

Among others His Excellency Stefan Frowin, Ambassador, Commission of European Union in Bangladesh, Rolf Reinhard, Charge d'Affairs of Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany and Sophie Clavelier-Khan, Deputy Trade Commissioner of Economic Department of Embassy of France addressed the programme.

3 Universities join the Oracle Academy programme

Three leading private universities in Bangladesh - American International University of Bangladesh (AIUB), BRAC University (BRAC), and Daffodil International University (DIU) - will integrate the Oracle Academy into their computer science programs.

As a result, more than 400 students from these universities will have access to world-class technical curriculum and hands-on experience with Oracle's industry-leading database and middleware software.

Students who participate in the Oracle Academy program develop vital business and technology skills, gaining a competitive advantage as they prepare to enter the global workforce of the 21st century.

The Bangladesh students will join more 4,100 institutions and 655,000 students in 86 countries who benefit from their participation in the Oracle Academy.

Supporting Quotes:

"The Oracle Academy will provide Bangladesh students with access to training needed for 21st century careers," said Ms Samina Rizwan, Oracle ASEAN Regional Director. "These students will help meet the increased demand for a skilled workforce, as well as address the needs of the IT industry in our country."

"The Oracle Academy will act as a catalyst to educate the architects of the IT economy of Bangladesh," said Dr. Sayeed Salam, Chairperson, Computer Science and Engineering Department, BRAC University.

"The privileges and benefits of joining the Oracle Academy will boost student and faculty interest and enhance the skills and employability of our graduates," said Dr. Carmen Z. Lamagna, Vice Chancellor, AIUB.

"As a result of joining the Oracle Academy, DIU students will enhance their skills and be able to pursue career opportunities in both the local and global technology markets. We believe that our Oracle-trained professionals will contribute positively towards the socio-economic development of Bangladesh," said Dr. Md. Fokhray Hossain, Head, Faculty of Science & Information Technology, DIU.

About Oracle Academy

The Oracle Academy and the Oracle Education Foundation's initiatives reach over 1 million students worldwide. The Oracle Academy supports 655,000+ students in 86 countries. By partnering with schools, districts, and ministries that believe in early career preparation, the Oracle Academy helps students develop the technology and business skills required for 21st century careers. Participating institutions may integrate Oracle's cutting-edge software and curriculum into their courses and avail their faculty to first-class professional development opportunities. To learn more, please visit http://academy.oracle.com.

About BRAC

BRAC University was established by BRAC in 2001. It is a 'not-for-profit' institution accredited by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and approved by the Ministry of Education, Government of Bangladesh. For more details, visit http:// www.bracuniversity.net/.

About AIUB

The American International University of Bangladesh has more than 182 fulltime local and foreign faculties with proven teaching and research excellence and corporate experience at home and abroad. It has the nation's first and only MBA program in Agribusiness. For more details, visit http:// www.aiub.edu/.

About DIU

Daffodil International University (DIU) was established in January 2002 through its registration (No. E/M: 14/8 - P: U: -29/2001/36, Dated 24/1/2002) by the Ministry of Education of the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. The University was empowered and authorized to conduct all undergraduate and graduate programs of study under the Private University Act, 1992 and the modified Act, 1998. For more details, visit http:// www.daffodilvarsity.edu.bd/ .

BSDI, Addvalue-India singed business deal

On 6th September 2008, an agreement has been signed at BSDI Auditorium between Bangladesh Skill Development Institute (BSDI), one of the institute of Daffodil Foundation and Addvalue Training Solutions, one of the reputed Call Center Training Institute of India.

Mohammad Nuruzzaman, the Director of BSDI and Paul Attick the Proprietor of Addvalue signed for the respective organization. At the signing ceremony, K. M. Hasan Ripon, the Deputy Director of BSDI and Ms. Amena Hasan Ana, the Business Development Manager were present.

Skilled manpower is the key factor when establishing the Call Centers.

After signing the agreement, BSDI-Addvalue will jointly work to develop the skilled manpower of Bangladesh in the Business of Call Center, which is the part of Information Technology.

Bank Degroof to adopt FRP vision

Financial Architects nv, an international provider of a Finance Resource Planning (FRP) platform for the finance industry, today announced that Bank Degroof has acquired Finarch's Financial Studio to provide a fully independent and automated "compliance" platform which includes a.o. Basel II calculations and business simulations. Bank Degroof is the largest private bank in Belgium, and has branches in Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Spain, France, and the Netherlands. Bank Degroof saw the value of the completeness and excellence of FinArch's solution as well as their subject expertise. After detailed research, workshops, and a comprehensive evaluation of internal and external alternatives, Bank Degroof decided to step into implementing their strategic vision for the benefits of both business and IT departments.

Financial Studio is the first fully integrated finance resource planning (FRP) solution for banking and financial institutions. Unlike generic ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems, Financial Studio solves the specific needs of the finance sector and addresses all the factors involved in the convergence of risk management and accounting practices across all banking and financial disciplines. Financial Studio's 'out-of-the-box' functionality, with its highly customisable modules and scalable database, allows for rapid deployment of any sized project, from small local implementations to full-scale enterprise-wide solutions on a global basis. A suite of generic, or foundation, modules underpin the power and security of the Financial Studio FRP solution. These include an industry standard data model, highly flexible multi-dimensional reporting hierarchies, powerful archiving tools, audit trail and historical information management, and rule-based engines.

FRP allows banks to progressively transform their finance and risk back office, removing the constantly changing pressure of regulatory compliance from the critical path of business operations. While solving immediate needs such as Basel II and regulatory reporting, Financial Studio provides a platform for progressive strategic transformation.

Anne Fievez, Associated IT consultant for Bank Degroof, says: "During the selection process for a Basel II solution, FinArch clearly demonstrated its excellence in business functionalities. Moreover, the added value of their FRP concept quickly triggered our decision to consider expansion of the project. Both business users and IT were rapidly convinced of the benefits: business users will be able to manage entirely their business logic, including simulations, and IT will streamline interfaces while keeping overview, control and audit capabilities on data, processes and infrastructure." She added. "Obviously, we are happy FinArch presented us their FRP concept. Undoubtedly, this step to the FRP will be beneficiary for Bank Degroof in the long term."

"We are proud to welcome the largest private bank in Belgium as a new customer that can now benefit from our par-excellence expertise. It is reassuring to see again another leading institution identifying the value of the FRP concept and selecting Financial Studio for both immediate and long term needs." Frédéric Simons, VP Regional Development at FinArch, comments. "Bank Degroof is a very welcomed addition to the Financial Studio family of customers, proving once again that both in Europe and in the rest of the world Financial Architects is truly a thought leader as well as providing first class business solutions. Financial Architects looks forward to a fruitful and long term partnership with Bank Degroof."

About Bank Degroof

Bank Degroof is Belgium's leading independent financial institution. Offering both private and merchant banking services, it enjoys an excellent reputation in private and institutional asset management, market activities, corporate finance, credit and structured finance.

Founded in 1871, the Bank has today more than 1100 employees serving customers from offices in seven countries. In Belgium, Bank Degroof has branches in the following cities: Antwerp, Bruges, Brussels, Charleroi, Ghent, Hasselt, Knokke, Kortrijk (as of Oct 2008), Liège, Namur, Verviers, and Wavre.

www.degroof.be

About FinArch

FinArch (Financial Architects nv), with offices in the major financial centres worldwide, is a global value leader in providing a new generation of financial management software. The concept of the platform and the integrated approach of the different modules enable innovative financial institutions to quickly implement tactical solutions meeting the overall strategic objectives in financial reporting.

FinArch provides a unique blend of domain expertise, operational services, and technology solutions that accelerate and facilitate financial institutions' ambition to implement a cost effective and reliable financial management platform.