SWITCH, formed as a foundation for Swiss Universities in 1987, is working with WebCT to meet its objective of creating and providing effective technology to both universities and research institutions across Switzerland. By deploying WebCT Vista on a national server, SWITCH is now providing 20,000 students who participate in fifty different courses at institutions across Switzerland with access to the eLearning platform.


These students will benefit from options such as the ability to access course material on demand and the chance to share documents - creating a more intelligent learning environment that saves time and enhances the learning experience. Staff and students also have access to a range of online learning resources and multimedia, creating consistency and efficiencies in course materials nation wide.


Martin Sutter, Head of SWITCH's NetServices said: "Feedback from students across the country tells us that they respond well to the options presented by eLearning. We hope to increase the number of user licenses from 20,000 to 35,000 as soon as possible."


The adoption of WebCT Vista by SWITCH is part of a wider eLearning strategy in Switzerland headed by the Swiss Virtual Campus (SVC). The SVC is dedicated to promoting innovative eLearning at Swiss universities that is commensurate with that provided at the top international institutions in the education sector.


Tim Collin, WebCT's Vice President for Europe, Middle East and Africa said, "The Swiss Virtual Campus and SWITCH are responsible for some groundbreaking work across the Swiss higher education sector, and we are pleased to be part of that mission. Their dedication to providing students with the most innovative and advanced e-learning technology as a centrally managed solution is delivering real benefits of cost savings and efficiency. It's a model that could prove beneficial for other European consortia."