Reliance Webworld And Ximb Launch Virtual Class...

[Arun 795]

Reliance WebWorld and XIMB launch virtual class room platform across 100 cities

DAKC (Dhirubhai Ambani Knowledge City), Navi Mumbai, May 04, 2005

Reliance Infocomm and Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneshwar (XIMB) today announced the launch of India's first ever post-graduate programme through virtual classrooms in over 100 cities via 240 Reliance WebWorld outlets. Blueshift will co-ordinate and manage the programme.

The partnership harbingers a major breakthrough in distance learning in the country. As per the tripartite arrangement, XIMB will offer one-year Post-Graduate Certificate Program in Business Management (PCPBM) using Reliance's platform. In due course, management development and customized training programmes for enterprises will be added to the product suite.

These virtual classrooms will be as good as the real ones except that students will participate from Webworlds using the latest, most powerful and most flexible technology available. Unlike satellite-based technology, this medium offers real-time, multi-way audio and visual presence of the professor and the students. The students can see and hear the professor live, view slides, audio-visuals, participate in interactive sessions with the professor and other students. Those who miss the class can catch up with the video recording on-demand at the Web Worlds.

The course will begin with an online registration and examination process initially across 12 cities through which students will be short-listed.

Announcing the tie up Fr. E. Abraham, Director of XIMB, said, "We are proud to partner with Reliance WebWorld and Blueshift to make it possible for students and working executives to do a world-class management programme without having to relocate from their home towns. We have designed the course, and chosen a mode of teaching that will revolutionize the way education is imparted in India"

"We are indeed delighted to be a part of this breakthrough in distance learning. This represents one more way in which we bring technology to educational processes," said Sankaran Raghunathan, Chairman, Blueshift.

"We offer the best proposition for content providers and institutions running certification programmes through distance learning as well as corporates conducting their internal training programmes. Besides aggregating and partnering with the best of the content providers worldwide, Reliance WebWorld will also partner Universities and Institutes of repute for long term certificate / degree courses," said Sarup Chowdhary, CEO, Reliance WebWorld.

About XIMB

With a focus on academic rigour, infrastructure, technology and innovation, XIMB has established itself among the best business schools in India. Founded on the established values of the Jesuits, the institution was conceived through the association of the Orissa Jesuit Society and the Government of Orissa. It prides itself on its outstanding faculty, state-of-the-art infrastructure and diverse academic activity.

XIMB has one of the most wired campuses in the country. Besides a diverse range of regular academic programmes, it offers MDP programmes, provides training and consulting services to corporates, and research and consulting services in the field of development.

About Blueshift

Blueshift is an Atlanta and Chennai-based software and services provider with a focus on turnkey solutions for academic Institutions and HR process automation for corporates. It is the largest provider of education technology in India. It is the country's first and largest online admissions management services provider having processed over 1,80,000 applications for over 25 institutions last year. Its clients include some of the largest and best companies and academic institutions in India and abroad.

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