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SME and Michigan Virtual University Collaborate

23 April 1999

Society of Manufacturing Engineers and Michigan Virtual University Collaborate to Produce Distance Learning for Manufacturing Practitioners

             Pilot Program to Deliver Single Instructor Courses,
                 Multi-Speaker Clinics and Major Conferences

    DEARBORN, Mich., April 23 -- The Society of Manufacturing
Engineers (SME), Dearborn, Mich., and Michigan Virtual University (MVU),
Lansing, Mich., have agreed to work together to meet the long term goal of
distance-deliverable manufacturing education and training.  The partnering
agreement allows collaboration to develop applications-based courses in key
manufacturing technologies and related business methodologies.  In April 1999,
a joint pilot program will be undertaken to determine if long-term
collaboration is in the mutual best interests of both institutions.  The pilot
program is expected to run until year-end.  Design of the joint program will:
    *  Identify and adapt one or more SME technical courses for distance
       learning
    *  Determine the educational and financial factors required for success
    *  Provide the financial and expert resources for adapting technical
       course(s)
    *  Beta test the adapted technical course(s) with the assistance of a
       corporate partner during the fall of 1999
    *  Deliver the technical course(s) via Michigan Virtual University's
       distance learning infrastructure
    *  Assess the educational and financial success of the technical course(s)
    *  Based on the results achieved through this joint pilot program,
       determine if a long-term collaboration is in the best interest of both
       institutions

    As the highest value-added industry sector, manufacturing continues to
play an essential role in economic development.  More than ever before,
employees need to continually update their technical competencies to keep up
with the innovative manufacturing technologies that drive global competition.
Cooperation in the field of distance learning is of growing importance as
education and training providers re-assess their strategies for meeting
workforce development needs on a real-time basis.
    In 1998, the Society of Manufacturing Engineers laid the groundwork in its
mission for advancing professionalism, knowledge and learning among its
members and the international manufacturing community.  Originating from its
Manufacturing Education Plan agenda, SME's lifelong learning initiative aims
to unite the interests of manufacturing engineers, their managers, educational
training providers and SME, within an integrated system for personalized
assessment of career competencies and to provide intelligent access to
continuous learning and professional development.