Lisbon, May 21, 2002 -- IBM and Cisco help organizations deliver e-learning excellence. Innovative e-learning solutions for Schools and Universities from IBM and Cisco, launched at 3rd World Education Market conference in Lisbon, show how both companies outlined the first steps towards their 'shared vision' for 21st Century Campus.
IBM and Cisco today announced two e-learning solutions to launch their new joint value proposition for education customers in Europe, Middle East and Africa. The first, called the 'IBM ThinkPad Mobile Wireless Classroom' offers a quick-start offering designed to reduce the dependency of schools on bringing students to where the computers are. The mobile classroom features a robust trolley which acts as both a hub for ThinkPad notebook computers using Cisco wireless technologies, and as a secure storage unit for computers when not in use by teachers.
The second offering, called the 'Learning and Information Outlet' provides a complete set of tools and technologies for rapidly creating and deploying rich multimedia content around a networked organization. It also allows education organizations to take advantage of the growth in bandwidth to communicate quickly with geographically dispersed students and staff. This 'Quick Start' offering allows these organizations to start small and grow as fast and as securely as they need.
In the opening keynote address to the World Education Market today in Lisbon, Mr Hans Ulrich Maerki, Chairman IBM EMEA, sketched out the critical role of Education in helping to realize the vision of the 'knowledge society', which the European Union has stated as a goal by 2010. One major driver of the way education is being transformed and delivered to students and citizens of all countries, in the Internet age, is through e-learning. Both companies have years of experience working with the education sectors and meeting their needs beyond simply offering essential technology components.
Highlighting the real challenges faced by Governments and providers of Education, Mr Maerki offered practical examples of how Public organizations, together with the IT industry, can work in partnership to bring us closer to this vision. Echoing Mr Maerki's remarks, Mr Robert Lloyd, President of EMEA Operations, Cisco Systems, stated that the combined capabilities of IBM and Cisco, working together with Governments and Academia, are now in a position to help organizations fulfil the promise of e-learning. Through this alliance education customers now have access to solutions for quickly and easily building and deploying an e-business infrastructure.
This cooperation in the field of Education is also building on the recent technology announcement. Optimized for connectivity, select models of the new ThinkPad T30 offer leading-edge integrated wireless solutions, including for the first time built-in Cisco Aironet 350 Series Wi-Fi (802.11b) technology and security protocols.
About IBM Education
IBM is an innovator in the development of e-learning technology, helping improve schools and higher institutions deliver, efficient, high quality education. IBM, in combination with its global network of business partners and strategic alliances like Cisco, delivers powerful e-business technology and comprehensive services that help organizations to transform their business and educational processes. Alongside the use of IT solutions for the continuing improvement of teaching and university training, IBM pursues the objective of promoting international knowledge transfer. For more information please go to: http://www.ibm.com.
