Nafisa Shams Academy for Arts and Crafts, one of the organizations supported by Community Jameel Saudi Foundation, has launched an online e-learning platform to expand its offerings and provide remote training to a broader audience with more flexible schedules. Notably, the Academy obtained accreditation from the National eLearning Center, the regulatory body for certifying e-learning institutions and programs in Saudi Arabia. The license recognizes the Academy’s capability and readiness to deliver online education and training programmes following best practices and national standards.
Launching the new platform aligns with Nafisa Shams Academy’s strategy of empowering Saudi women in the arts and crafts through training and education. The Academy delivers training programmes to develop skills and abilities, supporting women to establish their own businesses and achieve financial sustainability. It also supports Vision 2030’s goals, including strengthening women’s participation in the labour market, aligning academic outputs with the labour market needs, and developing the youth’s skills.
Speaking about the newly launched initiative, the Director of Nafisa Shams Academy, Dr May Taibah, said:
At Nafisa Shams Academy, we strive to harness the latest technology trends to facilitate access to our training services. In line with the continuous change in customers’ behaviours and preferences, we launched a digital transformation strategy leveraging advanced technology solutions to provide our trainees with more educational and training opportunities. We are pleased today to launch Nafisa Shams Academy’s online portal, and we are proud of the accreditation from the Kingdom’s National eLearning Center, which confirms our readiness to provide online training by the national standards.
Established in 2006, Nafisa Shams Academy of Arts and Crafts works hand in hand with Nafisa Shams Company, which specializes in traditional arts and crafts manufacturing, to provide a comprehensive empowering ecosystem that enables women to contribute to Saudi’s economic and social development in the Kingdom. Since its inception, the Academy has trained more than 17,000 beneficiaries in various fields. The platform offers training courses in crafts, arts, and digital competencies, designed to equip women with the needed skills for the labour market.
Meanwhile, the Nafisa Shams Company is a high-end manufacturing hub for various production lines, including textiles, fine art, and leather crafts. The company’s products are sold in bulk through our B2B channels or at retail through our online store.
Najlaa Yousef Safdar, Digital Development Manager of Nafisa Shams Academy, added:
While designing the online platform, all seven required standards of the regulatory authorities were considered. These cover leadership, technology, qualification and support, design, engagement, justice, and accessibility. We have developed a solid infrastructure to accommodate all of the needs of e-learning materials. In addition, we have applied accessibility standards, adhered to intellectual property rights and copyrights requirements, observed fair use and data privacy guidelines, and followed universal design principles for education.
Nafisa Shams is an organization that provides a comprehensive empowering ecosystem that enables women to contribute to Saudi’s economic and social development. It includes an academy and a company specializing in traditional arts and crafts training and manufacturing. The company aims to develop the handmade products industry and decrease the dependency on imported products, especially gifts and souvenirs.
