LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

ACE European Groups Chairman, Andrew Kendrick, today set out a five-point approach for European success as he addressed delegates in a keynote speech to the Insurance Day Summit in London.

Speaking to more than 100 chief executives and senior management from the London insurance market, Andrew Kendrick advised that European insurers and brokers need to think differently about the EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) region in todays low-growth economy if they are to unlock future opportunities. Andrew Kendrick said that the five key ways in which ACE is thinking differently about the region are:

The experts believe that growth in world trade will continue to outpace growth in GDP in the years ahead. So global trade growth is a megatrend thats here to stay, and therein lies the first opportunity for Europes insurance industry.

As European clients continue to focus on financial counterparty risk, I believe that financially strong insurers will be able to claim real competitive advantage I predict that balance sheet strength will become a driver of differentiated pricing in Europe in the not too distant future.

Europe is a region with an ageing population, and considerable personal wealth. At the same time, it has massive unfunded pension liabilities and costly healthcare systemsAs a result of all this, I believe that some of Europes best opportunities lie outside the P&C sector right now.

The good news for our industry is that insurance is becoming an increasingly understood aspect of social and economic well-being across the regions emerging markets, from Poland to the GulfAnd as a close neighbour, Europes insurance industry is well placed to take advantage.

In the wake of all the economic turmoil and the hubris at the banks, London has steadily reasserted itself as the capital of global insurance.

Andrew concluded by predicting that for those insurers and brokers prepared to think differently, and to look beyond the obvious, Europe still offers a world of opportunity. Industry participants based in London should be particularly well placed to take advantage of the most important macro trends, such as the growth of trade and emerging markets, he said.

A full transcript of the speech is available on the ACE European Group website at http://www.acegroup.com/eu

More:
Andrew Kendrick Shares Five-Point Approach for European Success in Keynote Speech to Insurance Industry

SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Sgrouples, Inc. (www.sgrouples.com) officially launches into public beta today offering a private alternative to the social network, and a robust suite of services it hopes will make it an all-in-one tool for weary Web users.

Sgrouples free custom dashboard lets users create private personal groups, import and manage their social networks like Facebook and Twitter, and provides personal cloud storage.

We believe social network fatigue, particularly over privacy, and demand for personal clouds, will be the key driving forces in the social space over the next one to two years, said Mark Weinstein, founder and CEO of Sgrouples, and an early pioneer of Web 2.0 services. As the Facebook IPO is this week, we feel that now is the perfect time to launch the all-in-one Sgrouples service, which offers an antidote to large social platforms like Facebook by building true privacy into the user model - no tracking, no profiling and no sharing of personal information.

Weinstein is a 15-year veteran of social media, before it even existed as an Internet category. He was the founder of SuperGroups, which in 1999 was hailed by CNN, Time, Bloomberg News and Dow Jones, among others, and was a popular precursor to todays social networks and community sites.

Ive followed Sgrouples for nearly a year, said Colin Sebastian, director, equity research, for RW Baird.Their leadership and development team have incredible vision and are making terrific progress.Moreover, the company is an early mover in addressing growing consumer concerns about social platform overwhelm and user privacy.

Privacy by design is a key selling point for Sgrouples.com, which offers an unprecedented level of protection in its user bill of rights (https://sgrouples.com/privacy), patent-pending permission tool and transparent privacy policy. As Weinstein points out, Sgrouples.com does not track, monitor or profile its users, and no personal information will ever be gathered or shared with third party companies.

Its our belief that users are growing tired of large platforms like Facebook, and are ready to migrate towards smaller, more exclusive communities that can offer real privacy and trust in the social experience, said Weinstein. We want to re-engineer the social experience by allowing users to connect in a closer way with people they know, in a private platform they trust. Our goal is to create one private place, with a robust suite of services, where people can come to organize all of their real life communities.

WHAT IS SGROUPLES?

Sgrouples.com is a free all-in-one suite of services that combines many popular features on the Web in one easy-to-use place. From a single user-friendly dashboard, members can start their own private groups; manage their Facebook, Twitter and other social media accounts; and enjoy a personal cloud to save and share photos, documents and important files.

Read the rest here:
Sgrouples.com Launches Public Beta - Targets Growing Facebook Fatigue

SLOUGH, UNITED KINGDOM May 16, 2012: Representing an evolution of the U3-X personal mobility concept device that Honda announced in 2009, the UNI-CUB features a compact design with comfortable saddle and offers the same freedom of movement in all directions that a person enjoys while walking. This is achievable by Hondas development of proprietary balance control technology and the worlds first omni-directional driving wheel system (Honda Omni Traction Drive System) inspired by robotic technologies developed for Asimo, Hondas world-famous humanoid robot.

These technologies allow the rider to control speed, move in any direction, turn and stop, all simply by shifting his or her weight. Since the rider can freely move forward, backward, side-to-side and diagonally, he or she can quickly and easily manoeuvre among other people.

Moreover, UNI-CUBs compact saddle-style packaging makes it easy for the riders legs to reach the ground while maintaining eye-level height with other pedestrians. This configuration promotes harmony between the rider and others, letting the rider travel freely and comfortably inside facilities and among moving people.

From June 2012 until March 2013, Honda will jointly conduct demonstration testing of UNI-CUB with Japans National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation. Staff will perform demonstrations and use the device for making their rounds, while the museums annual pass holders will have the opportunity to test ride UNI-CUB. In addition to testing the feasibility of using UNI-CUB indoors, this project will explore the practical applications of the device in a wide range of environments within Japan and other countries.

Going forward, Honda will continue its proactive research and development of next-generation mobility technologies, with the aim of continually looking for innovative yet practical ways to offer society and individuals the joy, fun and convenience that comes from the freedom of movement.

Go here to see the original:
Honda Announces New UNI-CUB Personal Mobility Device

FOSTER CITY, CA--(Marketwire -05/16/12)- Funambol, the leading provider of white-label personal cloud solutions for mobile providers, today announced the launch of its Android app with in-app upgrades using operator billing by the Wholesale Applications Community (WAC). The app allows customers to instantly purchase cloud storage upgrades by tapping a button on their smartphone or tablet for inclusion on their mobile bill. The in-app upgrade enabled by WAC makes it instant for people to acquire more cloud storage at the moment of need, eliminating the use of a credit card or other payment means. Carriers currently utilizing the WAC Payment API include AT&T, Deutsche Telekom, Telefonica, Korea Telecom, SK Telecom and Telenor.

"Funambol demonstrated that the WAC billing API can very easily be integrated into any app," said Paul Kenny, WAC VP of Business Development. "By integrating the WAC API, Funambol has instant access to the WAC carrier membership community, without having to work independently with all of those carriers."

The benefit to carriers is they can instantly make the Funambol personal cloud service available to users and gain revenue-sharing, as the app is integrated with their billing. This makes the user experience seamless, encouraging adoption, increasing customer loyalty and reducing churn.

"Funambol is thrilled to announce our newest personal cloud app with support for operator billing from tier-1 carriers globally," said Amit Chawla, Funambol CEO. "Funambol's access to operator billing will streamline app purchase and billing for hundreds of millions of users."

About WACThe Wholesale Applications Community (WAC) is an open global alliance made up of leading communications companies including network operators, device and network equipment manufacturers. WAC is committed to making it easier for developers to innovate by using operator network APIs delivered by a single cross-operator API platform. Concentrating in Asia for now, WAC also supports a HTML5 based application platform. WAC's payment API delivers a simple, safe and easy-to-use payment experience for customers across both fixed and mobile networks that helps drive conversion rates and repeat purchases. WAC centralizes the development, testing and submission process and allows developers to reach potentially millions of customers worldwide with unified terms and conditions that covers all WAC member operators. See http://www.wacapps.net for more information.

About FunambolFunambol is the leading provider of white-label personal cloud solutions for mobile providers. Funambol solutions have been deployed by many of the top companies in mobile, including operators, device makers and Internet portals. For more information, visit http://www.funambol.com.

Read this article:
WAC Certifies Funambol Personal Cloud App for Major Carriers Worldwide

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NF1T0jKU7Ck

15-05-2012 05:23 Michigan State University's commitment to global engagement has led to the establishment of a strong and dynamic presence in the United Arab Emirates. Under the direction of MSU's International Studies & Programs office in East Lansing, Michigan, USA, and operating as a partner of Dubai International Academic City, MSU in Dubai is focusing on master's degree programs, custom and open enrollment executive education programs, research and consultancy, and Study Abroad opportunities.

Read the original here:
MSU Program In Public Health: Master in Public Health Dubai Short Video Intro - Video

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oipQBY7F4YY

15-05-2012 13:12 Rice commencement speaker Salman Khan's address to the graduates focused on contributions of a different kind: He urged the students to do everything they can to "increase the net happiness in the world." Khan is the founder of the Khan Academy, a free online education platform and not-for-profit organization that has made waves in the field of education. In 2004, Khan's online tutorials for a young cousin gained a wider audience, and five years later he turned his collection of free educational videos into the online Khan Academy. Today, his more than 3200 online tutorials attract 6 million viewers every month, and Time magazine recently named him one of the world's 100 most influential people. For more:

See original here:
Salman Khan at Rice University's 2012 commencement - Video

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ck5VHUh8Olg

15-05-2012 18:22 Teenagers in Ohio would be able to take driver's education courses online instead of in classrooms under a proposed change being considered by lawmakers.

Read more from the original source:
Ohio Considers Letting Teens Do Driver's Ed Work Online - Video

NEW YORK and BALTIMORE, May 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Starting in the 2012-2013 school year, The Juilliard School and Connections Education are launching JUILLIARD eLEARNING, for K-12 students and educators everywhere. Juilliard eLearning is the world-famous conservatory's first-ever group of online courses, presenting an exciting new option for teaching music and related courses, with distribution and implementation by leading provider of online learning solutions, Connections Education, part of the global education company, Pearson.

(Logo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120516/SF07944LOGO-a)

(Logo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120516/SF07944LOGO-b)

Juilliard eLearning will be developed to the same high standards educators have come to expect of both partners. The Juilliard School (www.juilliard.edu), the nation's pre-eminent school for performing arts education, and Connections Education (www.ConnectionsEducation.com), will develop and deliver innovative online courses and resources for K-12 educators and students helping to extend Juilliardstructured learning into homes and classrooms; anywhere there is an Internet connection. Juilliard eLearning links Juilliard's acknowledged history of excellence in performing arts education and Connections Education's expertise in high-quality online learning.

The program will launch to an already-established national audience. Connections Education will offer the new arts education courses to the 40,000+ K-12 students enrolled in its national network of Connections Academy virtual public schools; it will also market the courses to educational institutions and directly to K-12 students and adult, lifelong learners.

"Providing exemplary arts education programs to youth and the community has always been central to our mission at The Juilliard School," said Joseph W. Polisi, President of The Juilliard School. "Our partnership with Connections Education will greatly enhance our ability to fulfill this mission. Juilliard eLearning will expand K-12 educators' and students' access to Juilliard performing arts educational content, delivered via the highest quality e-learning courses and materials that have become the hallmark of Connections Education over the past decade."

Educators and e-learning experts from Connections Education will collaborate with Juilliard's noted faculty, teaching artists and designated alumni to develop and manage the content of Juilliard eLearning courses.

The first courses to be offered by Juilliard eLearning in the 2012-2013 school year include Elementary, Middle and High School Music, and will be constructed around and aligned to the National Standards. In subsequent years, courses such as music theory, music history, drama history, or dance history, may expand the Juilliard eLearning offerings. Synchronous virtual music instruction courses and virtual "master classes" are also being considered.

Chief Education Officer for Connections Education, Steve Guttentag commented, "The Juilliard School is widely recognized as the quality standard bearer for performing arts education, so we're really honored to be Juilliard's partner for this initiative and to develop courses together for students in grades K-12."

Juilliard eLearning courses and learning materials will feature exclusive music, video, animations and other immersive content, plus synchronous and a-synchronous learning opportunities from both Juilliard's experts and Connections Education's certified teachers.

Go here to see the original:
The Juilliard School and Connections Education Launch Juilliard eLearning, The Conservatory's First-ever Online Courses

12/03/2011 -- Amy Sparks and daughter Samantha, 5 watch Patrick Sparks, 8 work on an online English lesson at the Sparks home Thu, Dec. 1, 2011. (Karl Merton Ferron / Baltimore Sun Staff) (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun / May 16, 2012)

9:57 a.m. EDT, May 16, 2012

Online education is a hot trend at the moment. But within that trend, there's an increasingly hotter sub-trend: online music education.

Baltimore's Connections Academy, one of the bigger players in online K-12 education in the country, today announced that it's partnering with the Juilliard School in New York City to deliver online music education to pre-college students beginning this fall.

The program is called Juilliard E-Learning.

[My observation: This is a heckuva smart move by Juilliard, to extend its brand online to youngsters in K-12. I wonder if Baltimore's Peabody Institute would consider doing something like this?]

Connections operates its own network of private virtual schools around the country, and it also runs online education programs for public school systems. (I profiled the company in December.)

Connections and Juilliard will offer the online music education courses to the 40,000-plus students in its network. But it will also market the courses directly to students and educational institutions interested in partaking in an online Juilliard education experience, the company said in a news release today.

Connections and Juilliard will develop courses at first based on the national standards in elementary, middle and high school music. And Juilliard has left open the possibility that more courses and features will be added in coming years, such as music theory, music history, drama history, or dance history. And live online music lessons and virtual "master classes" could come to the platform too.

Connections is a growing Baltimore company that was bought for $400 million last year by Pearson Plc, a British publishing conglomerate.

See the rest here:
Juilliard and Connections Academy partner for online learning

12/03/2011 -- Amy Sparks and daughter Samantha, 5 watch Patrick Sparks, 8 work on an online English lesson at the Sparks home Thu, Dec. 1, 2011. (Karl Merton Ferron / Baltimore Sun Staff) (Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun / May 16, 2012)

9:57 a.m. EDT, May 16, 2012

Online education is a hot trend at the moment. But within that trend, there's an increasingly hotter sub-trend: online music education.

Baltimore's Connections Academy, one of the bigger players in online K-12 education in the country, today announced that it's partnering with the Juilliard School in New York City to deliver online music education to pre-college students beginning this fall.

The program is called Juilliard E-Learning.

[My observation: This is a heckuva smart move by Juilliard, to extend its brand online to youngsters in K-12. I wonder if Baltimore's Peabody Institute would consider doing something like this?]

Connections operates its own network of private virtual schools around the country, and it also runs online education programs for public school systems. (I profiled the company in December.)

Connections and Juilliard will offer the online music education courses to the 40,000-plus students in its network. But it will also market the courses directly to students and educational institutions interested in partaking in an online Juilliard education experience, the company said in a news release today.

Connections and Juilliard will develop courses at first based on the national standards in elementary, middle and high school music. And Juilliard has left open the possibility that more courses and features will be added in coming years, such as music theory, music history, drama history, or dance history. And live online music lessons and virtual "master classes" could come to the platform too.

Connections is a growing Baltimore company that was bought for $400 million last year by Pearson Plc, a British publishing conglomerate.

See original here:
Juilliard, Connections Academy partner for online learning