BEIJING, Jan. 9 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- China Distance Education Holdings Limited (NYSE: DL) ("CDEL" or the "Company"), a leading provider of online education in China, is pleased to announce that it has received five awards at the Sina 2008 China Education Ceremony and seven awards at the Tencent 2008 Chinese Education Industry Review, validating its status as the leading player in online education in China.
Mr. Zhengdong Zhu, chairman and CEO of CDEL, was named as one of the "Ten Most Influential Persons of the Year in the Education Industry" at the Sina 2008 China Education Ceremony. CDEL was also named one of the "Top Ten Educational Brands of the Year" at the ceremony, with its accounting, healthcare and civil engineering distance education websites all being recognized as "Top Ten Online Education Provider of the Year."
At the Tencent 2008 Chinese Education Industry Review, six CDEL distance learning websites, including accounting, self-study, healthcare, legal, finance and civil engineering, were named the "Top Ten Online Education Provider of the Year." The Company's accounting website also received the "Most Trustworthy Accounting Training Organization of the Year" award.
"I am honored to be named alongside other very accomplished educators in China and also to see CDEL's success recognized by various online media organizations," commented Mr Zhu. "The honors are a reflection of CDEL's success. Since CDEL's founding in 2000, we have helped transform the learning environment for a large population of professionals and have successfully built our reputation as the premier option for candidates seeking professional qualifications. Looking ahead, we are optimistic that online education will continue to gain traction in China, with CDEL's shareholders benefiting from this growth."
The Sina 2008 China Education Ceremony and the 2008 Chinese Education Industry Review, held January 8 and 9, 2009, respectively, are two of the most prestigious events in the Chinese education sector. Both events reviewed the education industry in 2008. The Sina 2008 China Education Ceremony showcased new media's role in influencing the developing trends within the sector, while the 2008 Chinese Education Industry Review gave a broad review of the sector post-China's economic reforms, along with an industry outlook for 2009.
About China Distance Education Holdings Limited
China Distance Education Holdings Limited is a leading provider of online education in China focusing on professional education. The courses offered by the Company through its websites are designed to help professionals and other course participants obtain and maintain the skills, licenses and certifications necessary to pursue careers in China in the areas of accounting, law, healthcare, construction engineering, information technology and other industries. The Company also offers online test preparation courses to self-taught learners pursuing higher education diplomas or degrees and to secondary school and college students preparing for various academic and entrance exams. In addition, the Company offers online foreign language course.
