ECU signs pact with IBM

Edith Cowan University (ECU) has entered into an educational alliance with technology and business consulting company IBM.

ECU and IBM will collaborate on researching IT projects in the academic and business spheres. The alliance will encourage innovation and foster skills development between industry and the education sector and ultimately benefit the whole community.

The University’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Millicent Poole, heralded the relationship as a major breakthrough for ECU’s students, staff, researchers, industry partners and community stakeholders.

“This alliance will transform many aspects of future teaching, learning and research, enabling ECU to rapidly move into the forefront of innovation and new thinking,” she said.

IBM’s Australia and New Zealand Chief Executive Officer, Phillip Bullock, said IBM had chosen to partner with ECU because it recognised the university as a dynamic and forward-looking institution.

“The partnership between ECU and IBM will build a world-class example of both smart educational delivery and business collaboration,” he said.

“ECU will be a showcase partner in the Asia Pacific region and will demonstrate how IBM’s technology and consulting services can provide tangible benefits across many fields.”

Mr Bullock said that IBM had strong business consulting and technology experience, helping universities, governments, business and research institutions optimise technology resources worldwide.

The alliance begins with IBM’s successful tender for supply of ECU’s computers.

Professor Poole said the alliance would propel ECU to the leading ranks of “technology-clever” universities.

“Our students’ access to the latest and best information technology will now be assured. As well, a number of ECU students will work in IBM’s Australian Programming Centre in Perth.

“ECU will gain access to world-class research from IBM in the key areas of curriculum design and academic development. For instance, ECU staff will get to see innovations in the US and IBM experts will deliver seminars during visits to ECU.

“Under the alliance, ECU expects to develop greater use of computing technology in the delivery of educational programs once we test that it aids teaching and learning.

“Eventually ECU students may benefit from a major roll-out of IBM lap-tops, known as ‘Think Pads’, following an assessment by ECU of the learning value of such technology. The project will start with a small trial this year.

“ECU will also purchase IBM's Tivoli information security software.

The alliance comes at a time when the Federal Government is encouraging universities to enter into major partnerships with industry.

-ends-

Media contacts: ECU - Richard Goodwin (08) 6304 2077 or 0408 952 747 IBM – Pilar Martin (02) 9397 8671

About ECU A market leader in education for the service professions, ECU is Western Australia’s second largest university with almost 23,000 students, three metropolitan campuses and a regional campus in Bunbury.

About IBM IBM is the world’s largest information technology company, with 80 years of leadership in helping business innovate. Drawing on resources from across IBM and key Business Partners, IBM offers a wide range of services, solutions and technologies that enable customers, large and small to take full advantage of the new era of e-business. For more information about IBM, visit http://www.ibm.com.au