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by Karen Perl-Pollard
A new trail has been forged in China's e-learning frontier, opening a path
to professional education and training. On August 24, Oztime.com introduced
its new online education model for the first time to an audience of media,
partners and senior officials from Chinese ministries. The crowd of over
400, gathered at the Diao Yu Tai State Guest House in Beijing to meet
Oztime's executive team, consisting of China's best and brightest
new-generation online business and government leaders.
The ceremony featured Hai Yang, Oztime's chief technology officer, as a key
presenter. Mr. Yang is known for pushing forward the boundaries of Chinese
technology. A pioneer in Chinese Internet, Mr. Yang served as the deputy
general manger of Netease.com, China's second largest ICP. Mr. Yang
designed and developed, Oztime.com's proprietary technology, which delivers
the Internet infrastructure for Oztime's virtual campus experience.
Oztime.com's technological leadership in the new frontier of e-learning has
already resulted in education contracts with three institutions who were
present at the launch ceremony: China Central Radio and Television
University (CRTVU), China's e-Commerce Association and Tsinghua University.
"As an education service provider, rather than an ICP, Oztime will deliver
top-ranking courses and education services," said Yanning Li, President of
Oztime.com. "Oztime.com has a very clear mandate, to become the dominant
player in online education and training in China."
Also in attendance was Michael Lobsinger, chairman and chief executive
officer of Zi Corporation, Oztime.com's parent company. Mr. Lobsinger
foresaw the vast opportunity in China's relatively unexplored e-learning
landscape, and acquired Oztime in November 1999. At the ceremony, Mr.
Lobsinger's comments focused on the progress Oztime has made in online
education in China.
"The technical platform Oztime has built to facilitate distance learning is
second to none and the courses that will be offered truly reflect manifested
needs and priorities of the marketplace," said Mr. Lobsinger in the opening
remarks for the ceremony. Following Mr. Lobsinger's address, Howard
Balloch, Canada's ambassador to China offered congratulatory remarks.
The e-learning frontier in China has the potential to offer great
opportunity. China's booming economy and imminent accession to the World
Trade Organization has created an enormous market for professional training
and continuing education. Each year, approximately 12 million senior high
school students graduate in China - but approximately 60 per cent of these
graduates are underemployed because they do not have access to the limited
spaces in China's brick and mortar educational infrastructure.
Oztime.com revealed its plans to capitalize on the e-learning opportunity in
China. Their initial curriculum focuses on the fields of information
technology, management training and professional certification. With this
initial offering, Oztime expects to recruit thousands of students per month.
This information and pictures can be viewed at:
www.zicorp.com/industryarticles/oztimeaugust25.htm |
