The Gemological Institute of America is expanding its roster of distance education programs with the addition of a new eLearning course focused on pearls.

Pearls have been making the news recently, with a Florida oceanographic institute receiving a grant to accelerate commercialization of a technique to produce cultured pearls and the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) revving up to present its pearl expertise at the upcoming International Pearl Conference.

Dubai, United Arab Emirates--Recognizing Dubai's pearling heritage, the Gemmological Association of Great Britain (Gem-A) and the Dubai Pearl Exchange (DPE) are collaborating to develop a comprehensive educational program on natural pearls.