His Excellency, the Deputy Minister of Higher Education for Educational Affairs and the Head of the Supreme Committee of the First International Conference of e-Learning and Distance Learning, Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Ohali valued the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for the conference, which comes as result of leaderships keenness to develop the education in the kingdom. His Excellency added that this First International Conference of e-Learning and Distance Learning which will be held under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques during 19 – 21 / 3 / 1430 AH in Riyadh, confirms the Ministry keenness to benefit form experiences of others in order to develop the education, where it is necessary to occupy the modern techniques to be effective tool in learning. Specially, after the spreading of e-culture in the world under a globalization that imposes new reality which should be interacted positively in the frame of our inherent values and principles.  

   His Excellency added: this conference is a continuation of the efforts which are being made by the Ministry to benefit from global updates and technological developments, specially the efforts which are being made by the National Center for e-learning and Distance Learning in spreading the culture of e-learning among faculty members and students in the universities, and among different sectors of society. Such this conference opens up wide ranges for development and modernization. His Excellency emphasized that this conference supports the tireless seeking of the Ministry to create education that supports the orientation to the knowledge economy, pointing out that the technologies are one of the effective tools to achieve this.

    His Excellency has clarified that the conference focuses on several themes, including: contemporary international variables and their impact on E-learning and distance learning, the E-learning and distance learning environment in the era of globalization and knowledge-based economy, requirements to design and implement E-learning and distance learning programs, the processes of teaching, learning and designing of electronic curricula, e-learning and people with special needs, quality and evaluation and international experiences in E-learning and distance learning. His Excellency also invited the researchers, specialists and interested individuals and sectors to participate in the various activities of the conference.

   His Excellency, the Ministry Advisor, General Director of National Center for E-learning and Distance Learning, the Head of the Organizing Committee of the Conference,  Dr. Abdullah Al-Megren has emphasized that the conference aims to exploring modern trends in training bases on e-learning and distance learning and their applications, which will be achieved by participating of elite specialists in the e-learning and distance learning field in the world who have multiple experiences and diverse experiments. The discussion of the ethical dimension in the field of e-learning and distance learning is one of the important objectives of the conference, because there are wrong practices trying to discredit this kind of advanced education.

   Dr. Al-Megren added that the conference includes different activities, which will be specialized workshops about e-learning and distance learning, an exhibition that several national and global sectors will participate in it to explore the latest techniques of learning and communication and concentrated media activity in the different means of media to deliver the mission of the conference to the different groups and sectors.