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Ontario Undergraduate Students Benefit from $ 185 million CAD/CAM/CAE Classroom Infrastructure Contribution
TORONTO, Ontario (December 11, 2001). General Motors of Canada Limited (GMCL), Sun Microsystems, Electronic Data Systems (EDS) and EDS PLM Solutions (EDS PLM) together announced a contribution of computer-aided design, manufacturing, and engineering (CAD/CAM/CAE) software, hardware and training with the retail/commercial value of $185 million to the University of Toronto, the University of Waterloo and Queen's University.
GM, Sun Microsystems, EDS and EDS PLM Solutions form the corporate alliance known as the Partners for the Advancement of CAD/CAM/CAE Education (PACE). The PACE partners have worked together since 1999 to support key academic institutions worldwide with computer-based engineering tools to prepare mechanical designers, engineers and analysts with the skills to compete in the future. Stylists, engineers, analysts and manufacturing experts working in all industry sectors need a greater command of computer-based design and analysis tools than ever before. Using computer-aided engineering tools, students will learn to design, engineer and validate products in a virtual world to prepare them to address real-world challenges such as accelerated product development cycles and increased productivity demands.
"This gift is a critical investment in the intellectual capital of Canada's youth and the success of tomorrow's Canadian-educated engineers. This contribution by the PACE partners ensures that Canadian engineering students have access to world-class computer-aided engineering tools to gain the necessary experience. Engineering students at these three Ontario universities will now be using the same advanced math-based engineering and design tools in the classroom that GM engineers used in the lab to design innovative new vehicles such as the 2002 Chevy Avalanche," said Maureen Kempston Darkes, president and general manager for General Motors of Canada Ltd. She added, "Helping Canadian students develop state of the art skills will help Canada attract more high tech jobs and investment."
"Canadian universities are joining a growing international community of leading institutions participating in the PACE program," said Everett Anstey, president of Sun Microsystems of Canada Inc. "Providing students access to industry-leading computing resources is critical to Canadian universities' ability to attract and retain the brightest students and faculty in today's global competitive marketplace. Implementation of infrastructure in Canadian classrooms today means innovation in our factories tomorrow."
Doug Barkley, executive vice-president for EDS Canada, said, "PACE offers a unique combination of hardware, software and training to facilitate the learning of computer-aided engineering concepts. Additionally, students will gain hands-on experience applying those concepts as they work on real-world industry projects."
"EDS PLM Solutions is providing Unigraphics software enabling students to gain experience using the computer-based design and analysis tools that are used widely in design and manufacturing. Graduates from U of T, UW and Queen's will be highly-skilled and able to 'hit the ground running' when joining an employer in any sector," said Phil Taylor, president for EDS PLM Solutions Canada.
"Canadian engineering programs are already recognized for producing skilled high-quality graduates. We thank GM, EDS, EDS PLM Solutions and Sun Microsystems for this contribution which will enhance Ontario's reputation by adding expertise with the computer-aided design and solid modeling tools of today and tomorrow," said the Honourable Dianne Cunningham, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities in Ontario.
"If you are looking for a demonstration of a successful partnership between the private and education sectors look no further than the PACE program," says Dr. William Leggett, principal of Queen's University. "This initiative, with such a significant commitment of both hardware and software from visionary firms like GM, Sun, EDS and EDS PLM, is making a difference to engineering education at Queen's. Already, more than 600 first-year students have been introduced to these computer-aided engineering tools."
"The University of Waterloo is proud to have been selected as a PACE institution," said University of Waterloo president David Johnston. "I commend the PACE partners for their generosity and vision. Our students will gain an enriched learning environment with additional leading-edge software, hardware and training that will enhance the quality of their design projects and give them valuable experience using the latest computer-aided design and engineering tools."
"Leading global companies need access to a source of highly qualified engineers to grow and prosper. This contribution by the PACE partners will ensure that our graduates have knowledge of the most technologically advanced computer-aided design and engineering methodologies available," said University of Toronto president Robert Birgeneau. "These powerful tools will also enhance our research capability in automotive design and manufacturing. This combination of advanced knowledge for engineers and research innovation will serve to strengthen Canada's position as a leader in the auto industry."
To incorporate the contribution, the universities are enabling computing labs to best implement the PACE program. Equipment will be installed and operational by early 2002. Additional Canadian academic institutions will be joining the PACE program and announcements will follow. To date, 24 academic institutions in Canada, the U.S., Mexico and China have been selected to participate in the PACE program. Fifteen have formally been announced as the PACE initiative continues to expand.
The universities involved may also further leverage the PACE contribution through application to federal and provincial matching fund programs.
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Headquartered in Oshawa Ontario, General Motors of Canada employees 26,000 people nation wide. GM of Canada manufactures a variety of vehicles, engines, transmissions and other components and markets the full range of General Motors vehicles and related services through 744 dealerships. Vehicles sold through this dealer network include Chevrolet/Oldsmobile, Pontiac/Buick/GMC, Cadillac, and Hummer. Saturn, Saab and Isuzu vehicles are sold and leased through a separate 63 retailer network. More information about GM of Canada can be found at: http://www.gmcanada.com/index1.html.
Sun - Giving to Education: Sun recognizes the importance of giving back to the community, especially to the academic community from which it arose. Through a variety of programs - from equipment grants and discounts to teacher professional development - Sun helps bring the power of network computing to the classroom and helps further the use of technology in education for K-12, higher ed. and research institutions worldwide. For more information about Sun's strategic programs for worldwide education and research, please visit
http://www.sun.com/products-n-solutions/edu/programs.html. For more information
about Sun's community investment programs, please visit
http://www.sun.com/aboutsun/comm_invest/ogp/index.html.
EDS in Canada is the country's leading global services company, providing strategy, implementation and hosting for clients managing the business and technology complexities of the Digital Economy. With 6,500 employees across the country, EDS reported Canadian revenues of $1.65 billion Cdn in 2000. EDS, the leading global services company, provides strategy, implementation and hosting for clients managing the business and technology complexities of the digital economy. EDS brings together the world's best technologies to address critical client business imperatives. It helps clients eliminate boundaries, collaborate in new ways, establish their customers' trust and continuously seek improvement. EDS, with its management consulting subsidiary, A.T. Kearney, serves the world's leading companies and governments in 58 countries. EDS reported revenues of $19.2 billion in 2000. The company's stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: EDS) and the London Stock Exchange. Learn more at http://www.eds.com/.
Launched October 1, as the leader in the Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) market, EDS PLM Solutions delivers integrated technology and services supporting the entire lifecycle of a product - from concept and development to distribution and delivery - to the Global 1000. EDS PLM Solutions is comprised of the former Unigraphics Solutions (UGS) and Structural Dynamics Research Corporation (SDRC).
More information about Queen's University can be found at http://www.queensu.ca/.
More information about the University of Waterloo can be found at http://www.uwaterloo.ca/.
More information on the University of Toronto can be found at: http://www.utoronto.ca/.
Further information:
General Motors of Canada Limited
Richard James 905-644-2728
Richard.james@gm.com
Queen's University
Peter Aitken 613-533-6000 ext 77960
Aitkenp@post.queensu.ca
Sun Microsystems of Canada Inc.
Susan Stuart 905-415-7903
Susan.stuart@sun.com
University of Waterloo
Martha Foulds 519-888-4567 x 3470
mfoulds@uwaterloo.ca
EDS Canada
Joe Konecny 416-814-1641
Joseph.konecny@eds.com
University of Toronto
Janet Wong 416-978-6974
Jf.wong@utoronto.ca
EDS PLM Solutions
Phil Taylor (905) 212-4513
philip.w.taylor@eds.com
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