core sector communique

ELLUCIAN INAUGURATES STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITY IN BANGALORE Ellucian inaugurated a state-of-the-art facility in Bangalore today that will enable the company to work more closely with local institutions to develop India-centric solutions and provide enhanced implementation and product support. The new office brings together the functions of marketing, sales, engineering, services, and support. By co-locating all the departments, the company expects to accelerate the rate of delivery of new products and provide better and broader support to its growing customer base in India. Ellucian also plans to invite higher education thought leaders to the facility to engage with its customers, and identify more partnering opportunities to expand the company’s portfolio of solutions. Currently, about 250 employees staff the operations hub. Ellucian has been operating in India since 1993 through its global solutions and business development centers. The new facility in Bangalore will function as a knowledge and operation hub, combining deep domain expertise and product knowledge with specialized technical capabilities that help to cost-effectively serve Ellucian’s vast portfolio of solutions and customers in India and worldwide. At present, Ellucian is the only company offering end-to-end solutions in India designed exclusively for the higher education sector. In its size and diversity, India has the second largest higher education system in the world, after the United States. As of 2011, India had 42 central universities, 275 state universities, 130 deemed universities, and 90 private universities. In spite of the steady growth, the educational institutes are facing challenges that include attracting students and offering them a superior learning experience. A recent report from Springboard Research forecasts a significant increase in the IT spending by India’s education sector from an estimated US $356 million in 2008 to US $704 million in 2012 (reflecting in a CAGR of 19 percent). Prof. S. Raghunath, Dean, Administration, IIM Bangalore, inaugurated the facility and spoke on the adoption of information and communications technology (ICT) by education institutes. He said, “The Indian education system is looking for new tools and methodologies to improve the student and faculty experience. Adoption of ICT will help institutions across the country improve learning and benchmark their successes against the best global institutions.” Speaking on the occasion, Milind Kamat, Vice President and Country Head - India, Ellucian said, “ICT applications can give institutions a competitive edge by streamlining processes and driving growth through effective engagement of all stakeholders. As the Indian higher education sector continues to grow and transform, Ellucian strives to provide solutions and strategic services to enhance the entire student lifecycle and to help institutions engage more deeply with prospects, students, alumni, and donors.” About Ellucian Ellucian, the new company formed by the combination of Datatel and SunGard Higher Education, helps education institutions thrive in a dynamic world. It delivers a broad portfolio of technology solutions, developed in collaboration with a global education community, and provides strategic guidance to help education institutions of all kinds navigate change, achieve greater transparency, and drive efficiencies. More than 2,300 institutions in 40 countries around the world look to Ellucian for the ideas and insights that will move education forward, helping people everywhere discover their futures through learning.