BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, April 20, 2009 - Cisco today announced that the Argentinean Business School University (UADE ) has reinforced its network infrastructure by implementing Cisco® Unified Communications to improve its communications and optimize the collaboration regarding, and the delivery of, its educational programs.
The university migrated from a traditional telephony system, which was independent from the data network, to a Cisco Unified Communications solution that is integrated into a scalable, fast and reliable network platform. The project's primary purpose is to reduce costs and respond to the communications and collaboration needs of UADE's students, professors and employees.
Currently, UADE provides a wide selection of solutions applied to its urban campus. It has a Wi-Fi infrastructure of hotspots that are distributed in key locations. It also has Internet Protocol (IP) telephony and a telephone-based payment system for lodging in the university's dormitories. The university implemented Cisco Unified Communications messaging for internal use, as well as Cisco Fax Server to send and receive faxes from Outlook, along with Cisco Unified Video Advantage, which allows a more enjoyable interaction as live images can be viewed during the communication.
By using wireless devices and the "MI UADE" Internet portal, students can download content for classes and perform multiple queries from any place that has access to the Internet. Students can find class dates, schedules and rooms, in addition to obtaining academic summaries, finding their study plans and tracking previous tasks. Students can also register for courses and exams, ask questions about study plans, and perform administrative, financial and academic procedures. Through this portal, students also have free access to the university's library and general career content.
"We're pleased to be able to offer students and teachers the latest in connectivity and collaboration by implementing Cisco's technologies,"said Patricia Hall, director of the university's Systems and Methods Division. "Our main goal is to educate, and we believe that having access to relevant student information online, from administrative activities to study plans, simplifies the student and professor experience with easy accessibility while also making the experience more enjoyable."
UADE has implemented a wireless network using the Cisco Wireless Control System in its main building and Cisco ASA Adaptive Security Appliance network security throughout the entire network with anti-spam, anti-virus and data encryption solutions. These integrated technologies are proving extremely useful for managers to expedite internal processes. They also offer immediate benefits to teachers; improve communications between the more than 20,000 students and staff; generate more flexibility in teaching methods; and make collaboration more agile between the different areas of the university.
"Cisco's vision of Connected Learning is to help colleges and universities transform into more globally focused, student-centric learning environments of the 21st century. We are delighted to collaborate with a modern institution of higher education like UADE to create a truly connected and collaborative learning environment where students, teachers and users can reap the most benefits from next-generation networking technologies," stated Juan Uranga, business manager for Cisco in Argentina. "This deployment will definitely raise the bar for networking and integrated communications deployment in the higher education sector, and take e-learning to the next level."
