RIYADH: International experts are taking part in a four-day conference in Riyadh to discuss the future of e-learning and e-training in Saudi Arabia. The event, which started on Monday and is called eLearning for Human Capability Development, has been organized by the National eLearning Center under the patronage of its CEO and Education Minister Hamad Al-Asheikh, the Saudi Press Agency reported. It will review the latest developments and opportunities in the field, and discuss ways to develop Saudis’ skills to enable them to compete in the global labor market. Al-Asheikh said the conference represented a valuable opportunity to share knowledge and ideas and learn about best experiences and practices, and it was also in line with the rapid developments and evolving needs of the labor market. The minister said the conference contributed to achieving national objectives in human capability development in view of the support provided by the Saudi leadership to the e-learning and training sector, contributing to empower national capabilities to compete locally and globally. Delegates will review the experiences of bodies and blocs like the EU, UNESCO and the International Labour Organization, as well as those of individual countries such as India. The event will look at how platforms like edX, Coursera, and FutureLearn can help to boost people’s skills, and discuss ways to use e-learning to harmonize educational output with the needs of the labor market. It will have workshops presented by experts and practitioners in various disciplines from around the world. The National eLearning Center said the conference aimed to review global experiences and expertise related to innovation in employing e-learning and training to develop human capability worldwide. The conference will discuss the most important challenges to human capability development and e-learning and training opportunities, and ways to overcome them. The center said the conference had four key themes: E-learning as an enabler and accelerator for human capability development, skill enhancement, learning platforms, and micro-credentials, all of which will be addressed in discussion sessions with the participation of over 20 speakers.