Fujitsu Services, one of Europe`s leading providers of managed services for IT infrastructure, has signed a multimillion-pound contract to provide Internet support to UKeU (UK eUniversities Worldwide) - the only company set to effectively provide online degrees from recognised UK universities.
UKeU will market and support the online provision of degree courses from UK universities to students outside of the UK and businesses worldwide. UKeU is on track to launch its online degrees in January 2003. In order to achieve this, UKeU sought an organisation with secure data centre services, and the Internet connectivity and reach to enable an enterprise class end-to-end service for its customers. After a detailed procurement phase, UKeU selected Fujitsu as its partner.
Fujitsu will provide fully managed data-centre services and high bandwidth Internet connectivity to meet UKeU`s needs - access for students 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The solution had to be scalable to meet UKeU`s future business needs, such as the possible opening of data centres in other locations, in the UK and possibly the Far East.
UKeU is a government-backed company established to market and support the online provision of UK university degree courses to students and businesses outside of the UK. UKeU also has a mandate to help widen access to higher education in the UK.
"We chose to work with Fujitsu Services because of their experience in providing high quality Internet connectivity and hosting services for major initiatives. It is vital that our users get a reliable service globally," commented John Beaumont, chief executive at UKeU.
Roger Gilbert, managing director for central government at Fujitsu Services, said: "It has been estimated that the global market for online education will be worth lb13 billion or more by 2005, and UKeU represents a major step towards ensuring the UK pays a large role in that market. By ensuring that the infrastructure behind the Internet delivery of this education is reliable and robust, we hope to ensure that the initiative is a great success. With universities of such calibre participating, we are particularly proud of this project."
Degrees available from January 2003: Postgraduate Certificate in Learning in the Connected Economy from The Open University and the University of Cambridge; Masters in Public Policy and Management from the University of York and the Worldwide Universities Network; MSc in Information Technology and Management from Sheffield Hallam University.
Share
UK eUniversities Worldwide Limited is an operating company of eLearning Holding Company Limited, whose shareholders are UK universities and colleges. Through the holding company, UK colleges and universities have granted UK eUniversities a licence to deliver their courses online. UKeU is backed with lb62 million of funding from the UK government, which is committed through to 2004. Revenues will be earned from fee income from enrolling students.
ICL
ICL South Africa, a subsidiary of Fujitsu Services Plc (Formerly ICL Plc), is one of the leading IT services companies in Europe, Middle East and Africa. It has an annual turnover of lb2.4 billion (EUR3.9 billion), employs 15 500 people and operates in over 30 countries. It designs, builds and operates IT systems and services for customers in the financial services, telecoms, retail, utilities and government markets. Its core strength is the delivery of IT infrastructure management and outsourcing across desktop, networking and data centre environments, together with a full range of related services, from infrastructure consulting through integration and deployment.
Headquartered in London, Fujitsu Services is the European-centred IT services arm of the Fujitsu Group. The Fujitsu Group is a $38 billion (about EUR43 billion) leader in customer-focused IT systems and services for the global marketplace.
Prior to April 2002, Fujitsu Services operated as ICL. Web site: services.fujitsu.com
Editorial contacts