Daytona Beach, Fla., May 31, 2007 – EagleVision has landed at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. The highly interactive, collaborative virtual classroom and web center is the result of a new agreement between the university and Saba Software. Saba's Centra technology provides the backbone for EagleVision by bringing together voice, video, data, and graphics in a structured online environment unique to Embry-Riddle's global requirements.
By integrating the new collaborative technologies with existing university applications like Oracle, Blackboard, and Microsoft Office, EagleVision will provide the platform for virtual classroom web conferencing, online events, e-meetings, recording capabilities, and VoiceOverIP audio conferencing. "Ease of use, affordability, comprehensive services, and Blackboard integration were key factors in our selection process. Saba Centra exceeded our expectations in these and other areas," said Becky Vasquez, director of Student and Technology Services.
With the testing phase complete, the first classes began the end of May with six instructors at about 18 locations across the country through Saba's Quick Start deployment services. This launch is the precursor to a wider deployment across the university this summer. The evolution of EagleVision technology puts Embry-Riddle on track to realize its strategic objective to grow to $125 million in revenue with 50,000 students in 180,000 enrollments by the year 2015.
"Embry-Riddle Worldwide is the growth engine for the university in global expansion and online program development," explained Marty Smith, chancellor of the Worldwide Campus. "Revenue realized here in the Worldwide Campus will be instrumental in helping the residential campuses manage their tuition requirements, grow their programs, and focus on research opportunities."
Embry-Riddle Worldwide began in 1970 as a branch of the Daytona Beach Campus at Ft. Rucker, Ala., with 20 students, primarily military working adults. Since then, the program has grown to be one of the largest off-campus, regionally accredited colleges in the United States, with over 45,000 alumni. Today, the worldwide organization meets the needs of over 27,000 students through classroom, online, or hybrid undergraduate and graduate degree and certificate programs.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, the world's largest, fully accredited university specializing in aviation and aerospace, offers more than 30 degree programs in its colleges of Arts and Sciences, Aviation, Business, and Engineering. The university educates more than 32,000 students annually in undergraduate and graduate programs at residential campuses in Prescott, Ariz., Daytona Beach, Fla., and worldwide at more than 130 centers in the United States, Canada, Europe and the Middle East, and through online learning.
