Toronto ICT Cluster

Recently I came across an interesting article on Canadian Newswire which discusses how Open Text has partnered with the University of Waterloo to create a leading institute for Web 2.0 and Digital Media technologies. The fact that the insitute will be backed by Open Text’s executives and allow students to gain real-world experience in the field will give the institute a competitive advantage over similar institutions due to increased practicality, collaboration, and innovation. The full potential of the world of social networking and Web 2.0 is yet to be tapped and this institute is well positioned to be on the leading edge of this movement, especially with backing from heavyweights such as Open Text and the University of Waterloo.

WATERLOO, ON, March 27 /CNW/ – Open Text(TM) Corporation (NASDAQ: OTEX,
TSX: OTC), a global leader in enterprise content management (ECM), today announced a partnership with the University of Waterloo to create one of the world’s largest centres dedicated to research and innovation in digital media and Web 2.0 for business, government and cultural applications.

Under the plan, Open Text will contribute funding, technology and services for the development of the Open Text Centre for Digital Media Research. As part of its commitment, Open Text will provide its executives and thought leaders as contributing faculty, sharing their experience in the classroom. The Centre will be dedicated to research projects and commercialization of ground-breaking software applications, giving students an opportunity to apply their ideas to real-world business opportunities.

Programs at the Centre will focus on creating graduates that combine business knowledge, with computer science and artistic content creation. The Centre will be part of graduate and undergraduate programs offered at the University’s Stratford Institute, a proposed new centre for education and research to be located in Stratford, Ontario, a well-known art, music and theatre community. The location provides a unique setting that will bring the worlds of business, art and the Internet together in an environment focused on
creating innovative new software applications.

“From Facebook to YouTube to Wikipedia, we are witnessing a revolution in the way consumers socialize, share knowledge and harness collective intelligence,” said Tom Jenkins, Executive Chairman and Chief Strategy Officer for Open Text. “But we’ve only just begun. There’s enormous potential to build on what’s been created so far, and apply these new technologies to business, government and culture in new and exciting ways. Through our partnership with the University of Waterloo, we’re planting the seeds of that innovation right here in the Waterloo Region.”

Jenkins adds, “The Open Text Centre will combine the experience and knowledge of academic and business leaders with the energy and creativity of a new generation. It gives Open Text a direct role in building a highly skilled workforce and R&D leadership right here in our community, and helps secure Waterloo’s position as one of the world’s top communities for technology innovation.”

“By collaborating with Open Text, we are hoping to create an institution that’s recognized worldwide for discoveries that meet the needs of the 21st century digital economy,” said David Johnston, President of the University of Waterloo. “Open Text’s contribution will help accelerate Ontario and Canada into a leadership position in digital media and Web technologies.”

Today’s news follows closely on the heels of Open Text’s March 3 announcement of a broad strategy to deliver new social computing solutions to customers. As part of its plan,
Open Text is extending its collaboration and Web solutions offerings to deliver 2.0 capabilities, including wikis, forums, blogs, tagging, moderation, communities and real-time collaboration, within an organization’s broader ECM strategy. Application of these new technologies creates more engaging Web experiences, improves knowledge sharing and collaboration, increases employee productivity and helps improve brand loyalty and interaction.

http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/March2008/27/c7246.html