UOIT receives in-kind contributions worth millions of dollars from Partners for the Advancement of Collaborative Engineering Education
March 27, 2008
The in-kind investment includes state-of-the-art computer-based hardware, engineering software and student and instructor training and academic support. UOIT becomes the sixth PACE Canadian university.
"The automotive industry is undergoing an exciting transformation where innovation and R&D will be a core advantage," said Greg Parker, Engineering Manager, General Motors of Canada. "Investing in future automotive engineers is critical to ensure that our next generation of employees has the skills and knowledge to compete globally."
The PACE investments support UOIT's General Motors of Canada Automotive Centre of Excellence announced last month, creating a new advanced automotive technology cluster centered at UOIT that links together the best Canadian companies, universities, students and engineers with companies in the Canadian automotive supply chain.
"We know students at UOIT are already being prepared for the global economy," said Jeff Hill, EDS client executive. "By integrating the PACE tool box throughout its engineering curriculum, UOIT is upgrading its ability to train a new generation of engineers well-versed in today's technology and ready to hit the ground running when joining an employer in any sector."
"HP is proud to be involved in the PACE program and furthering the quality of education for engineering students," said Jim Zafarana, HP's Vice President and Worldwide Workstation Marketing Manager. "We have a strong commitment to designing and manufacturing high performance workstations for the engineering industry, and for future engineers."
"Today's leading manufacturing and technology companies compete on the basis of time to market, product cost, quality and innovation," said Phil Taylor, vice president, Canada operations, Siemens PLM Software. "It's quite clear that today's best students in top programs, like the program at UOIT, must have the opportunity to gain experience with technology that supports these objectives."
"Sun has a longstanding commitment to educational advancement in Canada," said Andy Canham, president, Sun Microsystems of Canada Inc. "We strongly believe that integrating technology into academic pursuits offers students a competitive advantage while evolving Canada's position among the world's top innovators. Our investment in the University of Ontario Institute of Technology's PACE program will enable today's students with access to real-world technology, thereby securing their position as tomorrow's engineering leaders."
"UOIT is tremendously thankful for this overwhelming donation and to be part of this partnership that will provide our students and researchers with access to a great collective wealth of resources and experience," said Dr. Ronald Bordessa, President of UOIT. "Together with our unique programs, research work and state-of-the-art facilities, partnering with PACE positions UOIT as a leader in the continued innovation and transformation of the automobile manufacturing industry."
UOIT Associate Professor Dr. Remon Pop-Iliev, who holds a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)-GMCL Chair in Innovative Design Engineering, has assumed the role of lead engineering integrator on UOIT's PACE integration team. His research work provides meaningful contributions towards substantially improving Canada's capacity in design engineering with a primary focus on the automotive and related sectors.
General Motors of Canada (GMCL) is engineering and manufacturing advanced environmental technologies ranging from Active Fuel Management (cylinder deactivation) and hybrid systems to E85 biofuel and fuel cell vehicles - more than any other auto company right here in Canada. Headquartered in Oshawa Ontario, GMCL employs more than 19,000 people nationwide. GM of Canada manufactures vehicles, vehicle powertrains, and markets the full range of General Motors vehicles and related services through 732 dealerships and retailers across Canada. Vehicles sold through this network include Chevrolet, Buick, Pontiac, GMC, Saturn, Hummer, Saab and Cadillac.
With 5,000 students at its Oshawa, Ontario campus, UOIT delivers a leading-edge learning environment that uniquely combines academic knowledge, research opportunities, hands-on skills and a vibrant student life. UOIT's Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science offers students high-calibre and value-added research opportunities, and high-quality and innovative market-driven programs in areas such as Automotive, Manufacturing, Mechanical, Software and Electrical engineering.
The PACE corporate alliance has worked together since 1999 to support academic institutions worldwide with computer-based engineering tools to prepare designers, engineers, and analysts with the skills to compete in the future.
Note: Siemens and the Siemens logo are registered trademarks of Siemens AG. All other trademarks, registered trademarks or service marks belong to their respective holders.
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Contacts:
General Motors of Canada Limited:
Patty Faith
905-644-2728
Siemens PLM Software:
Mendi Paschal
972-987-3210
About Ontario Tech University
A modern, forwarding-thinking university, Ontario Tech advances the discovery and application of knowledge to accelerate economic growth, regional development and social innovation. We inspire and equip our students and our graduates to make a positive impact in a tech-focused world. For us, it’s not only about developing the next tech breakthrough. Understanding and integrating the social and ethical implications of technology differentiates us as university. Learn more at ontariotechu.ca.
Media contact
Tony Doyle
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Ontario Tech University
905-721-8668 ext. 2209
