Microsoft Dynamics Academic Alliance Success Stories
These case studies demonstrate how education institutions and Microsoft Certified Partners are effectively providing hands-on real world business experience to students through the Microsoft Dynamics Academic Alliance.
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Gothenburg University University of Gothenburg, one of the top ranked universities in Sweden, has educated a new generation of tech-savvy professionals. To address the need for IT proficiency, with the help of Microsoft Gold Partner SYSteam, the University of Gothenburg built a system around business software Microsoft Dynamics NAV 5.0, Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0, Microsoft Dynamics CRM, and Microsoft Office PerformancePoint Server 2007, to create a learning environment for its own students that extends to students at other universities.
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Copenhagen Business School Copenhagen Business School (CBS) focuses on developing strong links between the research and business communities. When students at CBS requested skills in business management software, the university contacted Microsoft to see what would work best in an educational setting. Through Microsoft Dynamics Academic Alliance, Microsoft provided software and links to consultants who developed and helped teach a class on Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0. Now, students have the opportunity to combine theoretical concepts with the practical technical skills that employers expect from university graduates.
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thy:data thy:data is a leading consultancy firm based in Denmark. thy:data has worked with Microsoft for 20 years and is a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner. Microsoft Dynamics AX is a crucial element of the company’s business. To help students learn more about Dynamics AX, thy:data launched an online, eight-week evening course attended by 23 students. Students gained valuable work experience, and thy:data improved its recruitment processes and market visibility.
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Athens University of Economics and Business Athens University of Economics and Business, the oldest business and economics school in Greece, needed to improve its graduates’ employment prospects by equipping them with the business software skills expected by local industry. The university deployed Microsoft Dynamics NAV, to create a learning environment that teaches students the IT proficiency needed to find jobs when they graduate.
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Bloomsburg University 2006 Pinnacle Award for Excellence in Education recipient The Bloomsburg University College of Business strives to provide its students with relevant course material to prepare them for positions in real-world organizations. The College of Business partnered with the Microsoft Dynamics Academic Alliance to implement Microsoft Business Solutions-Great Plains 8.0, now a part of Microsoft Dynamics. A team of faculty from Marketing, Management, Finance, Information Systems, and Accounting designed a course around the software to help students gain experience with business management systems and prepare for the technologically advanced workplace.
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Clemson University 2005 Pinnacle Award for Excellence in Education recipient Clemson University aims to provide students a relevant, valuable learning experience, using limited resources. The university wants to integrate management systems into business classrooms, but avoid the high overhead costs of hardware and software implementation and maintenance. With resources available through the Microsoft Business Solutions Academic Alliance, the College of Business and Behavioral Science implemented Microsoft Business Solutions-Great Plains software (now part of Microsoft Dynamics) to run a virtual business. Now, students of management and accounting learn effectively in a hands-on environment, and faculty is more productive in preparing students for the business world.
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University of Indianapolis 2007 Pinnacle Award for Excellence in Education recipient The University of Indianapolis strives to deliver the most complete, relevant education to its students. To better prepare students for the workplace, the School of Business wanted to incorporate business management software into its curriculum. The school implemented Microsoft Dynamics GP in its computer lab and is using the robust business management software in several of its courses. Today, students can gain skills that increase job opportunities and see how all aspects of a business work together. Students also get hands-on experience installing and configuring the software.
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University of Southern Denmark The University of Southern Denmark Faculty of Engineering is committed to excellence in teaching. Project-based learning (PBL) is at the heart of the faculty's teaching philosophy, but its software did not adequately support this philosophy. Microsoft partner thy:data deployed Microsoft Dynamics AX and trained lecturers under a favorable licensing arrangement, now available internationally under the Microsoft Dynamics Academic Alliance. The faculty can now support a wider range of courses in Danish and English, equipping domestic and international students with hands-on expertise in real-world tools.
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Partner story: Arctic Information Technology and Junction Solutions For many Microsoft Certified Partners that specialize in implementing Microsoft Dynamics business management solutions, recruiting and retaining consultants is an ongoing challenge that, if not met, can restrict organizational and revenue growth. Faced with a dearth of available, well-trained IT professionals, some partners have extended their organizational growth model by hiring and training new college graduates, in addition to experienced professionals. Microsoft Gold Certified Partners Arctic Information Technology and Junction Solutions hire new graduates to bolster their Microsoft Dynamics consulting businesses. These two firms share their experiences recruiting new college graduates and discuss the keys to their successful recruitment and growth models.
