Latest news with #ICS
Zawya
2 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
ADSM and International Community Schools sign MoU to expand educational opportunities for students
Abu Dhabi, UAE – The Abu Dhabi School of Management (ADSM) and the International Community Schools (ICS) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration and create new academic pathways for high school students in the UAE. The signing took place during the 2025 International Conference on Artificial Intelligence Management and Trends (ICAIMT), hosted by ADSM in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Chamber. This year's conference theme — 'Shaping the Future with AI: Strategy, Innovation, Impact' — reflects ADSM's commitment to fostering meaningful dialogue on responsible AI adoption, innovation, and sustainable digital transformation. ICAIMT serves as a global platform that brings together academics, industry leaders, policymakers, and young innovators to explore AI's transformative potential across sectors. The MoU was signed in the presence of Dr. Tayeb Al Kamali, Chairman of ADSM, and Mr. Mohamed Alshamma, CEO of ICS Schools. 'It's truly wonderful to sign this MoU with ICS group' said Dr. Tayeb Al Kamali. 'This agreement not only strengthens the relationship between our institutions but also opens doors for ICS students to benefit from ADSM's innovative and entrepreneurial academic environment.' The partnership includes the provision of competitive scholarships to ICS students who meet ADSM's admission requirements. It also lays the foundation for future joint initiatives, including student workshops, leadership training programs, and innovation-focused activities. 'We are excited to work closely with ADSM, an institution that shares our values of excellence, innovation, and student empowerment,' said Mr. Mohamed Alshamma. 'This partnership represents a meaningful step toward expanding educational access and opportunities for our students.' About ADSM The Abu Dhabi School of Management is a forward-thinking business school focused on developing entrepreneurial leaders equipped for the knowledge economy. ADSM is licensed by the UAE Ministry of Education and offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate programs in business, leadership, digital technologies, and AI. About ICS International Community Schools (ICS) is a premier educational institution in the UAE that delivers international curricula within a nurturing, values-based environment. ICS is committed to developing well-rounded students through academic rigor and character education.
Sassy Mama
3 days ago
- General
- Sassy Mama
Students At This School Gain A Competitive Edge At Universities With College-level Academics (+ $500 Off!)
Discover how the International Community School's Advanced Placement (AP) courses prepare students for university and beyond through rigorous, college-level academics – with students consistently outperforming global benchmarks! Looking for a school that equips your child with the right skills and foundation for university and beyond? Choosing the right school plays a big part in helping your child reach their full potential, and preparing them for success at the right university is just as important. At the International Community School (ICS) in Singapore, students don't just excel academically, they also grow into confident individuals who are prepared to thrive in any environment. With a globally recognised American curriculum, ICS equips them with the tools, values, and real-world experience they need to thrive. Recognising students' potential for academic success and beyond ICS offers 25 Advanced Placement (AP) courses that challenge students with college-level academic work in high school. With an average score of 4 out of 5, ICS students consistently outperform global averages, giving them a competitive edge when applying to top universities. These strong results also often allow students to earn early college credit. As the Class of 2025 prepares to graduate, their university acceptances reflect not just academic excellence but also personal growth and a readiness to lead in a rapidly changing world. This year's seniors are heading to prestigious universities across the United States, United Kingdom, Asia, and more. Alumni like Sann Nu Wai (PhD from Imperial College London) and Nathan Low, who has earned his B.A., cum laude, from UC Berkeley and his Juris Doctor (JD) from UCLA School of Law, further amplify that ICS prepares students for success in every field. Yushi Liao (Class of 2024) is studying Materials Science at City University of Hong Kong and contributing to sustainability projects. 'ICS taught me that service is action,' she says, emphasising the school's focus on purposeful learning. Personalised pathways with a supportive community At ICS, every student is encouraged to explore their passions and goals. With one-on-one academic counselling, students receive the personalised guidance they need to plan and prepare for university applications. A low student-to-teacher ratio also means students get the individual attention they need every step of the way. The school's supportive community doesn't end at graduation, many ICS alumni stay connected to the community, with some even returning to teach, coach, and guide the next batch of students! Ready to explore how ICS can prepare your teen for university? Sign up for their upcoming virtual Open House on 4 June 2025 to learn more! Join ICS's Virtual Open Houses to enjoy a $500 waiver on your application fee! Secure your spots here. International Community School (ICS), 27a Jubilee Road, Singapore 128575,
Entrepreneur
23-05-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
One in Five ICS Systems in India Targeted by Malicious Activity in Q1 2025
You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. India's industrial sector is facing a wave of cyber threats, with nearly one in five operational technology systems compromised in early 2025. According to Kaspersky ICS CERT, 19.1 per cent of ICS computers in India encountered malicious activity, pointing to a growing vulnerability in the country's rapidly digitising infrastructure. Globally, 21.9 per cent of ICS systems recorded malicious activity during the same period, highlighting the widespread nature of industrial cyber threats. In India, the internet remained the primary vector for OT threats, with 9.79 per cent of ICS computers exposed to online malware. Email-based threats followed at 1.47 per cent, while 0.71 per cent of infections stemmed from removable media such as USB drives. These entry points continue to serve as common infiltration pathways in OT environments, which typically remain less fortified than their IT counterparts. Diverse sectors under threat The biometrics sector faced the highest exposure, with 28.1 per cent of ICS machines detecting and blocking malicious objects. Other severely impacted industries included building automation (25 per cent), electric power (22.8 per cent), and construction (22.4 per cent), highlighting the vulnerability of India's infrastructure backbone. "India is the second most targeted nation in terms of cyberthreats. What is needed is a comprehensive and collaborative response to counter adversaries who have grown in scale and sophistication. It's high time we moved beyond silos and developed an alliance where we can all share resources such as tools, talent, and infrastructure," said Pankit Desai, Co-founder of Sequretek. "A collective voice holds greater sway in policy discussions, allowing for stronger engagement with government bodies and public-private cooperation. Sharing threat intel promptly is one such crucial aspect. In cybersecurity, visibility, prioritisation, and speed are everything," he believes, "By sharing real-time threat intelligence, cybersecurity providers can anticipate and neutralise attacks faster. A local threat database tailored to India's unique digital challenges can offer protection where global solutions fall short. Building trust through open and secure communication is fundamental in this high-stakes field." Echoing this sentiment, Kunal Varma, CEO and Co-founder of Freo, added, "Private firms, digital platforms, and industrial bodies must work collaboratively on solutions whether that be developing superior AI to deter and flag manipulated content, or connecting threat intelligence with one another. Tech firms can also invest in rapid-response systems." Common threat types The most prevalent malicious content globally included scripts, phishing pages, and access to denylisted internet resources—methods often used to initiate infections or redirect users to attacker-controlled sites. Regions such as Southern Europe, Africa, and the Middle East experienced particularly high levels of phishing and script-based attacks. Spyware and ransomware, though less frequent, remain serious threats. Spyware was blocked on over 7 per cent of ICS computers in Africa and above 6 per cent in Southern Europe and the Middle East. Ransomware activity, while not widespread, was notably present in East Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. India, while not leading globally in any one threat category, continues to be a high-risk geography due to its rapid industrial digitisation and growing reliance on connected OT systems. Desai emphasised on the "human malware" factor. "With human error being a major vulnerability, we, as cybersecurity practitioners, should lead efforts in cyber literacy. Digital awareness campaigns, particularly those in regional languages, will go a long way in building a robust digital defence. Small and medium enterprises, often the most vulnerable, require affordable training and risk audits to stay secure."
Irish Times
21-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Mortgage market shake-up brings new lenders offering greater flexibility
The mortgage market has had a shake-up and there might be something in it for you. Those borrowing for a home with a low building energy rating (Ber), public servants or anyone wanting discounted repayments in the first two years should know about new deals that are available from Avant and ICS . And if you haven't been living like a monk for six months and need mortgage approval in hours, not weeks, then Núa Money and MoCo 's artificial intelligence-driven process might be for you. Whether you're buying your first home or looking to switch mortgage, it's worth checking out the new kids on the block. Some of the best mortgage rates in recent years have been fixed rates, linked to high building energy-rated homes – until now that is. READ MORE Those with a low Ber are no longer stuck out in the cold. Avant's new Flex mortgage doesn't give a hoot about your insulation. It offers interest rates as low as 3.04 per cent for some borrowers – and you don't have to fix either, well, not for long. Flex is a bit like the old tracker mortgage in that it tracks a key euro zone lending rate – the 12-month Euro Interbank Offered Rate (Euribor) – the average interest rate at which European banks lend money to one another. So it's not the European Central Bank rate, but it behaves a bit like it. 'Every month, on the 10th of the month, Avant writes to brokers to confirm what the Euribor rate is on that date and that rate is held and available to the customer during that month,' mortgage broker Michael Dowling of Dowling Financial says. Avant adds a set margin to this rate, which will depend on your loan-to-value (LTV) ratio. For those with a 10 per cent deposit, or a loan-to-value higher than 80 per cent, a 1.1 percentage point margin is added. For those with a 20 per cent deposit or a loan-to-value below 80 per cent, the margin is 0.9 of a percentage point. The interest rate for Flex customers is set on the day you draw down your mortgage. It is fixed at that rate for the first 12 months of the mortgage, so Flex mortgage customers have certainty over their repayments the 12 months following at least. 'This is a tracker mortgage with a 12-month fixed element to it is how I would describe it,' Dowling says. So what are the rates like? At the time of writing, those borrowing 80 per cent of the value of the home can access a rate of 3.04 per cent. Those borrowing between 80 and 90 per cent of the value will be offered 3.14 per cent. A year into your mortgage, your rate is adjusted based on the 12-month Euribor market rate at that date. Though a fixed rate, the product retains some of the advantages of a variable rate. 'If after three months you felt nervous about what's happening with interest rates, you can switch out of it into a longer-term fixed rate with no penalty,' Dowling says. If after 12 months you want to change to a three or four-year fixed rate instead, you can do that too. 'The projections on this product are even better over the next number of months because the ECB is expected to reduce rates even further,' he says. Flex suits a number of people, says Margaret Barrett of broker Mortgage Navigators. If you're buying or switching mortgage on a home with a low Ber, the product will certainly pique interest as rates compare well with green rates from pillar banks. Someone who has a variable element to their income, like a bonus, will value the facility to overpay the mortgage without penalty, Barrett says. This is typically more limited for fixed rate mortgages. First-time buyers are typically borrowing 90 per cent loan-to-value, for which Bank of Ireland is offering a 3.1 per cent fixed rates long as you have an Ber A-rated property. While that interest rate is cheaper than Avant's, you have a greater capacity to overpay the mortgage with Flex and you don't have to spend on a retrofit to get the rate. The Flex will appeal to those with a low mortgage borrowings too, Barrett says. 'Some lenders have a minimum amount of borrowing, so their cheaper rates are only available if you are borrowing €250,000 or more, but Avant doesn't have that requirement. The Flex is available on mortgages over €100,000, and the Ber is irrelevant.' AIB's green rate for those whose mortgage is less than 50 per cent loan-to-value is 3 per cent, so the Flex is a competitive alternative, she says. Those self-building or availing of the Government First Home Scheme need not apply, however. Avant's Flex is not available to them. Indeed, Avant, Nua Money, MoCo and ICS don't lend for self-build or to those buying with the help of a scheme that puts a local authority charge on the property. Interest-only If you need money in the near term to renovate your home, to pay for childcare or to bridge an income gap while one earner takes time out, the new Flexi two-year interest-only option from ICS is worth considering, but with caveats. This rate gives owner occupiers a break in the first two years, where you pay only the interest on the loan, but you must take out a five-year fix. It is open to first-time buyers, movers and mortgage switchers and is available to those borrowing up to 90 per cent of the value of their home, with a minimum loan size of €100,000. Interest-only for the first two years means reduced payments. Capital and interest repayments apply for the remaining term. Rates are from 4.25 per cent up to 4.4 per cent, fixed for five years – so they are not the cheapest. If you borrow €250,000 over 30 years at a rate of 4.25 for example, you'd pay €1,229 a month on a normal capital and interest mortgage. With ICS's two-year interest-only feature, your mortgage repayment for the first two years will only be €885 a month. But your mortgage will move to a capital and interest mortgage at the start of year three with repayments increasing to €1,273 a month; that's an overnight jump of €388 a month. Just like Avant's back-to-the-future, non-tracker tracker product, this has a hint of the Celtic Tiger to it. Some borrowers ran into difficulty back then with features like this. 'Personally if a first-time buyer is looking for interest only for the first two years, I'd be concerned for when the repayments ratcheted up,' Dowling says. Public-sector workers The ICS Flexi product is not the most competitive rate in the market right now, but there is a sweetener for public-sector workers, Barrett says. Whether you are a public-sector worker or you are buying a house with one, the Flexi will enable you to borrow several points further up the salary scale than with some other banks. 'For customers looking for maximum borrowings, the interest rate might not be the main decider,' Barrett says. For joint mortgage applications where the public servant is not the main earner, ICS will assess their income five points up their pay scale. Take the example of the primary earner who works in the private sector worker and their teacher partner who are applying for a mortgage. The primary earner is earning €65,000 and the secondary earner teacher is on point three of the salary scale, earning €43,469. There is even more flexibility for two public-sector applicants For the purposes of assessing how much they can borrow, the teacher's income will be assessed five points up at point eight on the salary scale, bumping up their assessable income to €52,021. This enables the couple to borrow more at €468,084 – almost €35,000 more than if they were assessed on the current teaching salary. Their mortgage repayments, interest-only for the first two years, will be €1,716 a month. After two years, this will move to capital and interest payments of €2,425 a month for the remaining three years of the five-year fixed period. Under standard criteria, where the public-sector applicant would be assessed at three points up, the loan size would be €451,008, with capital and interest repayments of €2,258 a month. There is even more flexibility for two public-sector applicants. The main earner will be assessed at three points up the salary scale, and the secondary earner at five points up. MoCo and Nua will lend two points up the salary scale while Avant will lend one point higher. PTSB and Bank of Ireland don't offer the feature. AIB will also go three points higher, but it's not as generous as ICS's new feature, Dowling says. While the Flexi enables public servants to borrow more, their mortgage will be more expensive in the longer run due to the interest-only start. Repayment ability If you need mortgage approval in hours, not weeks, then new Irish lender Núa Money might be the one for you. 'They are the first real digital mortgage; their speed of accepting a client is unparalleled,' Barrett says. 'You could submit something at 9.30am and have a full loan offer by 10.30am.' How do they do it? They sidestep the cottage industry that proving repayment ability has become since the financial crash. This is where the mortgage applicant must live like a saint for six months, providing reams of bank statements as evidence. The broker would then comb through the applicant's financial history looking for misdemeanours and proof of ability to repay. Guess what? Núa Money doesn't care about your bank statements. 'Not needing to demonstrate repayment capacity is a game changer for the Irish market,' Barrett says. 'Núa has decided if you have the net disposable income on the assessment calculator, you have demonstrated you can pay.' People whose dream home came up for sale, but whose bank statements for the previous six months weren't pristine, value Núa's pragmatism and speed, she says. Brokers are happy to be absolved of this grunt work too, she says. This is challenging the legal system which is obsessed with getting hard copies of everything and producing original signatures Núa says it is catering to the 'thousands of customers with the financial capacity to afford a mortgage who are being locked out by outdated lending models'. The lender also offers loans to immigrant visa holders who have been here for six months and have passed work probation. Bonus income is looked on more favourably too. Rates start at a 3.6 per cent for a three-year fix for customers with a loan-to-value ratio of 60 per cent. Those customers will get 3.65 per cent if they fix for five years. For those with loan-to-value of 70 per cent, the three and five-year rates are 3.9 and 3.95 per cent respectively. These mortgage rates aren't the cheapest on the market, but the product will appeal to buyers wanting to move fast and avoid the faff. 'I can get a mortgage approval letter in one hour and a loan document in two hours,' Dowling says. 'With AIB, Bank of Ireland, PTSB and Avant, it takes 10 to 15 working days.' Electronic rather than physical signatures speed up the legalities too. 'This is challenging the legal system which is obsessed with getting hard copies of everything and producing original signatures. They are light years ahead of the other banks,' Dowling says. Austrian-owned MoCo is also using technology to speed things up. All applications are done online using Open Banking – a system that enables banks to share data. No need to order bank statements. For those borrowing 90 per cent loan-to-value, MoCo offers a three or five-year fix of 3.95 per cent. For those borrowing 60 per cent, the rate for a three or five-year fix is 3.6 per cent.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
What is consumer confidence, and why does it matter?
Experts use several metrics to gauge the health of the U.S. economy, including gross domestic product (GDP), unemployment, inflation, and consumer confidence. Consumer confidence measures how optimistic or pessimistic consumers feel about the overall state of the economy and their own finances. It's important because it reflects people's willingness to spend money, which is a key driver of economic growth. And this figure has far-reaching implications — it can influence stock prices, business decisions, and economic policies. Learn more about how consumer confidence is tracked and why it matters. This embedded content is not available in your region. Consumer confidence is an economic indicator that measures how consumers feel about the health of the economy and their personal financial situation. When consumer confidence is low, it indicates greater economic uncertainty among individuals. As a result, they tend to cut back on discretionary spending and focus on saving instead. On the other hand, when consumer confidence is high, people are more likely to make major purchases, invest, and borrow money — all of which help boost economic activity. The Conference Board — a nonprofit research organization — measures consumer confidence through a monthly survey that asks a sample of consumers questions about current economic conditions, expected future conditions, and their personal finances. This data is then aggregated into a single number, called the Consumer Confidence Index (CCI). Additionally, the University of Michigan conducts its Surveys of Consumers monthly to formulate its own Index of Consumer Sentiment (ICS). These figures are used by economists, policymakers, businesses, and other stakeholders to gauge where the economy is headed and guide their decisions. Consumer confidence has been trending downward over the last year. In fact, according to the latest report from The Conference Board, consumer confidence declined for the fifth consecutive month in April, falling to levels not seen since the onset of the COVID pandemic. Stephanie Guichard, senior economist, global indicators at The Conference Board, noted in a recent statement that this decline is largely due to a drop in consumer expectations related to business conditions, employment prospects, and future income. In fact, more than 32% of respondents expect fewer job opportunities in the next six months — nearly the same percentage as in April 2009 during the Great Recession. Consumer confidence may not have a direct impact on your wallet, but it can influence you and your finances in subtle, but important, ways. When consumer confidence is higher and spending increases, it can lead to higher inflation if the supply of goods can't keep up with demand. In turn, your money's purchasing power is reduced. In other words, it costs you more money to afford the same everyday essentials. Read more: How to protect your savings against inflation Meanwhile, shaky consumer confidence can lead to a more volatile stock market. Investors often look to this index to get a sense of how certain stocks will perform and make decisions accordingly, which could have an impact on your portfolio — at least in the short-term. Consumer confidence also influences economic policy. For instance, shifts in consumer confidence can help the Federal Reserve assess whether the economy is overheating or slowing down too much. It may decide to adjust the federal funds rate to encourage more spending or saving, depending on what's needed to keep the economy running smoothly. When the Fed adjusts this rate, interest rates on savings and credit products follow suit, impacting how much it costs to borrow money and how much you can earn on your bank account balances. Ultimately, it's a good idea to keep your eye on consumer confidence. It can help you anticipate shifts in the economy that might affect your job, investments, or spending plans. But remember, it's one of many indicators that experts rely on, and it doesn't always tell the whole story. Related: What is a yield curve, and what can it tell us about the future of interest rates?
