University
of Illinois at Chicago Office of Public Affairs (MC 288)
601 S. Morgan St., Chicago, IL 60607-7113, (312) 996-3456, www.uic.edu/depts/paff
| July 10, 2001 | Contact: Jeffron Boynés, (312) 413-8702, jboynes@uic.edu |
LEARNING E-BUSINESS ONLINE
The University of Illinois at Chicago is turning to the Internet to expand its professional training offerings to adult learners in near and faraway locations.
UIC-based Professional Development Programs, in conjunction with the College of Business Administration, has announced the launch of its E-Business E-Commerce Online Certificate Program, which allows participants to study the electronic aspects of business and commerce and earn a certificate entirely by way of the Web.
"Offering our e-business certificate program online is a wonderful opportunity for students and for the college," said Wim Wiewel, dean of the College of Business Administration. "In its traditional form, the program has been a hit on UIC's campus and abroad with business managers in France."
UIC now has the opportunity to build on the niche it has created by delivering the program in the most advanced way possible, Wiewel said.
The certificate program, which features a flexible curriculum, is designed for busy managers, entrepreneurs and executives who need to excel in e-business, yet have little or no time to attend traditional classes or meet with fellow students.
The course is taught in "asynchronous mode," meaning participants are able to access the program on their own time. They are able to interact with the materials long-distance, get feedback from instructors and peers and access the course when and where they want, which is a major selling point.
"By providing this course via the Internet, including its unique CD-ROM "live" instructor lectures, we are offering cutting-edge course information utilizing state-of-the-art technology," said Cindy Atchley, head of UIC's Professional Development Programs.
The trend toward online learning is gaining momentum, especially because of its "24/7" convenience and flexibility. The market research firm IDC of Framingham, MA predicts the worldwide e-learning market will surpass $23 billion by 2004, up from less than $2 billion in 1999. IDC also predicts that by 2004, only 35 percent of corporate training will be of the traditional instructor-led variety.
"As an instructor in the traditional e-business/e-commerce course, I have found it frustrating and difficult to share our knowledge with people located outside of the immediate Chicago metropolitan area," said Joel Warady, Professional Development Programs lecturer and president and CEO of CP2 Distribution LLC-a Chicago-based consumer products distribution start-up. "With the program now being offered online, we have removed the geographic barriers that had previously existed."
The course runs nine weeks, which includes an online orientation. Each of the program's six modules has a 10-day duration. Participants will complete a multiple choice, self-evaluation quiz at the end of each module and can expect to spend approximately 15 hours per module working on the course itself, including readings.
Course modules consist of: E-Business Overview; Intrapreneurship and Entrepreneurship; Knowledge Management and Customer Relationship Management; Marketing, Brand Building and the Internet; Behind the "e"; and Technology Architecture.
"We are proud to be adding the new online e-business program to our catalog," said Burks Oakley II, associate vice president for academic affairs and director of University of Illinois Online, a national leader in online education. "Now that it's being offered over the Internet, the program has the potential to serve a much larger audience."
The UIC E-Business E-Commerce Online Certificate Program is offered four times per year and is open to qualified applicants. Program fees, dates and registration details are available online; email pdp@uic.edu or contact Cindy Atchley at (312) 413-2404.
- UIC -