The Banyan Tree Knowledge Centre Ltd., was born to ensure the development of professional skills and the culture of quality in India’s Economic Value Chain, through the academic institutions of India. This objective entails the development of people who can be certified in quality management and data & computer literacy. An important issue that you must consider is that the knowledge that you have certified through BTKC, is recognized in terms of credit towards graduate and post-graduate degrees at major European Universities. Banyan Tree Knowledge Centre has as its founding partner and principal financial patron Banyan Tree Holdings. Banyan Tree Holdings is an industrial holding company of the Carrera Holdings Group, Private Equity investors, and Indian financial institutions. For Banyan Tree Holdings, BTKC is of strategic importance in creating those soft assets that are critical for the growth and future prosperity of India’s textile sector. With the financial backing of Banyan Tree Holdings, you can be sure of a certification and knowledge distribution platform that is amongst the best in the World. Banyan Tree Knowledge Centre is also the child of supra-national European Union organizations that are the owners of such important foundations as EQDL, ECDL, ICDL, CEPIS and EUCIP. Some of the founding fathers of Banyan Tree Knowledge Centre are entities whose work is considered to be of such importance that the European Commission's ESDIS Committee on November 2001 recommended their work “be accepted as a Europe-wide accreditation scheme.” International organizations, such as UNDP and UNESCO, have started implementing these accreditation systems for their staff in over 140 countries. The accreditation systems that are bought to you are also used by the best corporate names in nearly every important economic sector. The most important corporates of the World are using these systems to ensure that their employees have certified levels of knowledge, some examples are: Nokia HSBC
Citibank NTT Data
Levi's IBM
3M BMW
Volvo Siemens
Now, if these corporates are so focused on the certification and development of knowledge levels, why aren't you?
Philips Exxon
General Electric Roll Royce
ECDL (European Computer Driving License)
BROCHURE
What is ECDL •
ECDL, the European Computer Driving Licence, is the world’s leading certification system, available in 36 languages and 140 countries worldwide.
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Like all certification programs proposed by Banyan Tree Knowledge Centre, ECDL is developed and managed by the European Union financed teams of international computer experts, based on the specification indicated by the major European employer organizations.
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Several international organizations (UNESCO, ILO, UNDP) recognize and promote the importance of ECDL’s skill certification program .
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The European Union emphasizes the role of ECDL certification in assuring service quality, matching job demand and supply, and bridging the so-called “digital divide.” Europe now has over 5 million people who have been certified by ECDL.
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ECDL’s impact can be measured also by the fact that the leading companies of the World across sectors are turning to ECDL to ensure the computer literacy levels within their companies.
ECDL comes in 3 packages. The ECDL program is: comprehensive, as it ranges over several levels of skills; standard, as tests are the same in all countries (thus enabling job mobility); vendor-neutral, as it is available both on proprietary and on open source technology platforms; All ICDL certification packages are controlled and managed by the ECDL Foundation on behalf of CEPIS (Council of European Professional Informatics Societies), the non-profit entity which created ICT certifications in Europe.
ECDL CORE The record breaking ECDL CORE is the fastest growing IT user qualification in over 140 countries. The ECDL Core Package certifies the level of knowledge of basic IT skills. It tests and certifies the candidates posses the minimum level of knowledge to operate a personal computers. To obtain the certificate, the candidate must pass all the following seven modules: 1. Concepts of IT 2. Using the computer 3. Word processing 4. Spreadsheets 5. Presentations 6. Data Base 7. Internet An even simpler certification exists, and it is called ICDL Start. It can be obtained by completing four of the seven modules listed above. ECDL is designed specifically for those who wish to gain a benchmark qualification in computing to enable them to develop their IT skills and enhance their career prospects. No prior knowledge of IT or computer skills is needed to study ECDL.
ECDL ADVANCED ECDL ADVANCED is based on a syllabus that is the computer literacy standard for the EU. If a candidate has completed ECDL CORE and wants to progress further, or if the candidate is already a “power user,� ECDL ADAVANCED is the next certification level. ECDL ADVANCED will allow the candidates to demonstrate their higher level of computer skills. It will allow them to prove that they are competent and efficient in a range of Information Technology applications. ECDL ADVANCED exams are all independent and each module awards an individual certificate. The modules are the following: 1. 2. 3. 4.
Word processing Spreadsheets Presentations Data Base
The candidates can take any of the modules individually to receive an ECDL ADVANCED certificate in that application. If the candidates completes all of the modules they will receive an ECDL ADVANCED EXPERT certificate.
ECDL SPECIALIZED ICDL SPECIALIZED is the new independent international standard for core skills in specialized computer applications. The internationally recognized ICDL SPECIALIZED covers the core requirements needed to ascertain the ability of the candidate to use specialized computer applications and systems. The ICDL SPECIALIZED is the certification for individuals using computers for specialized applications, such as: • • • •
CAD (Computer Aided Design); Web publishing; Multimedia; Image processing.
This is a very important qualification for those candidates who are specialized professionals, or students of specific professions, in areas such as: • • • •
Engineering; Design; Architecture; Publishing (including Multimedia publishing).
Why the Certification? •
To stimulate through a precise goal the people to learn;
• To assess the quality of education & training by objective parameters; • To ensure visibility and worldwide recognition of the acquired knowledge; • To increase clarity and uniformity of training contents.
Why ECDL? Because the ICDL certification program enjoys several unique features: Neutrality: it is product independent and can be exploited both on proprietary and open platforms; Completeness: it is structured at different levels and specializations; Uniformity: the exams are the same everywhere in the world; Accessibility: it does not require from the candidate any prerequisite knowledge and is open to disabled people; Suitability: it follows a pragmatic approach focused on the real needs of the working place.
Corporate that use ECDL to make sure they have the right IT people. Citibank HSBC BNP Credit Lyonnais General Insurance Bank of England Llyods TSB Banque of France Bank of Ireland Allied Irish Bank Irish Life Insurance
IBM NTT Data KPMG Procter & Gamble Lever Ernst & Young TSB ABB Stockholm Northern Telecom Belgacom Nortel
Philips Ericsson DHL BMW Rolls Royce Renault Volvo Gateway Guinness Electrolux Carrera Holdings
Nokia Siemens Fujitsu Siemens-Nixdorf Motorola Sharp Ricoh Rank Xerox 3M SAS Henkel
General Electric BP Pfizer Opel – GM Shell Exxon Dunlop TetraPak Levi's IKEA Statoil
International Certification Bodies AICA is the Italian Association for Informatics One of the founders of CEPIS in 1991 (Council of European Professional Informatics Societies) In 1995 (under the presidency of Giulio Occhini, CEO of AICA) CEPIS started the ECDL programme The ECDL Foundation (established 8 Jan 1997) is the operational body coordinating the world-wide deployment of IT certifications In 1999 the ECDL brand was established as a landmark of the International reach of the program (not only European...) AICA-BTKC holds the responsibility for ECDL development in India
What is ECDL Test Centre The Test Centre is where the candidate can refer to get the needed training and take the ECDL certification exams. The Test Centre offering must include: • the education and training services; • the competency assessment services; • the certification services selling Skills Cards and organizing in house exams sessions. The Test Center can be focused on: • students population (colleges, universities, schools); • employees/workers (companies, training and consulting firms).
Why to be an ECDL Test Centre? Because ECDL is the most internationally recognized certification for digital literacy: more than 7 Million people in the world in 120 countries in 35 different languages have chosen ECDL to improve their working performances Because, being a Test Centre ECDL, means to be part of a world wide community made of thousands and thousands of accredited Test Centers Because, being an Indian accredited Test Centre ECDL, means to enter in the BTKC (Banyan Tree Knowledge Center Limited) network, the knowledge infrastructure created for developing working people qualification in the country.
What is the ECDL Test Centre mission? •
To become the reference point for IT education in the local community;
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At the local level, the ECDL automatic certification tests during specific scheduled exams sessions under control of BTKC;
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To be compliant with the quality rules and procedure established at national level by BTKC;
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To be a local model for business correctness and transparency.
What are the ECDL Test Centre responsibilities? A Test Center is accountable to: •
BTKC for quality and compliance to the national procedures;
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The Nodal Centre for contractual and administrative aspects (including orders and payments);
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Each single candidate for the quality level of the offered services;
Becoming a ECDL Test Centre Test Centres in a region are selected by the Nodal Agency and accredited by BTKC. This means that the Test Center fills on line the accreditation request under the supervision of the Nodal Agency. Prerequisites for being a Test Centre: • • • •
An exam room with no less than 10 PC’S compliant with the ATLAS requirements; A connecting LAN; An Internet connection; Two accredited examiners (ICDL certified with an average score > 85).
What are the ECDL Test Center responsibilities? A Test Center is responsible for: • • • • • • •
Local promotion activities; Localization of advertising material; Local sales; Administrative relationships with the Nodal Center for orders and invoices of ICDL Skills cards and exams; Education and examination of candidates through the BTKC ATES (Automatic Test Evaluation System); Management of local personnel; Ethical business behavior;
Required steps: OPERATIONS G O
TC marketing & advertising
Simulated test sessions
Training
Register candidates for certification
Certification examination sessions
Give results & request certificates
Starting the operation A contract must be signed between the Test Center and the Nodal Agency . The signature of the contract implies the purchasing of a certain amount of Skills Card and exams. When the contract is signed, the Test Center receives from the Nodal Agency the ATLAS (AICA Test & License Automated System) software, its installation code, the passwords for the examiners and the synchronization code (see later). Start to Ordering Skills Card and Exams to book the session and conduct the exams for candidates.
Managing the session The examiner supervise the exams room during the whole session, monitoring its correct execution and answering to possible questions. Maximum time for exams is 45’. When the candidate completes a test, the ATLAS system provides the results. The pass/no pass information goes to the candidate while the pass score and failed tests details go to the examiner. Exams results are kept available to the candidate for two weeks. The candidate can access them asking the Test Centre examiner.
Issuing diplomas On a weekly basis, ATLAS system provides to BTKC the list of the candidates who have passed all the ECDL exams in the period. Those candidates deserve the diploma which will be issued by BTKC and delivered to the Test Centre where the candidate has passed the last exam. The diplomas can be awarded in different “grades”: • Gold with honour: if all exams have been passed with an average score > 95% • Gold: if the average score is > 85% (examiners should have this grade) • Standard: if the average score is between 75% and 85%
LOGOS & TRADEMARKS The ECDL Foundation and Cepis (the Council of European Professional Informatics Societies, promoted by AICA and the British Computer Society) own the whole set of company and product logos
All logos and trademarks (e.g. “International Computer Driving Licence�) have been registered at international level Neither logos nor trademarks can be used in any way prior to signing the License Contract and the specific annex referring to them
CERTIFY YOURSELF…
BANYAN TREE KNOWLEDGE CENTER LIMITED 44-7 KRISHNASREE ENCLAVE, 1ST MAIN ROAD GANDHINAGAR, ADYAR, CHENNAI - 600 020 EMAIL: info@btkc.org
BANYAN TREE KNOWLEDGE CENTER LIMITED VIJAYSHREE APARTMENT ,PL.NO.18,SR. NO.98,4TH FLOOR, FLAT NO.7, BHUSARI COLONY,KOTHRUD, PUNE – 411038. EMAIL: btkc@btkc.org