University of Maryland Gains a Partner in Siemens
For product lifecycle management (PLM) providers, education licenses constitute a ripe and plentiful portion of the market as thousands of engineering and design students throughout the country must familiarize themselves with the tools of the trade. To help fulfill that vital role, Siemens has just given the University of Maryland (UMD) the largest in-kind software grant it has ever awarded. The grant has a commercial value of over $750 million and will provide University of Maryland students with a range of Siemens’ design and simulation software.
Students and faculty of the university will have access to the same technologies that many automotive, aerospace, machinery, and high-tech electronics industries – to name just a few – utilize on a day-to-day basis.
“We are very grateful to receive this valuable software from Siemens that will help our students develop innovative design capabilities and prepare them for advanced technology careers,” said UMD President Wallace Loh.
Courses that are specifically tailored to robotics design, bioengineering, space systems, manufacturing, product engineering, and systems life cycle analysis will be among the top uses of the software, however, it will also be used to help students compete in competitions both nationally and internationally.
“As product complexity continues to grow, students with PLM software experience are expected to be highly recruited. Global manufacturers need highly trained graduates to help them make smarter decisions that result in better products. This software grant enables UMD to integrate world-class PLM technology into its curriculum. The result enables students to be better prepared graduates to work in science, technology, engineering or math fields,” said Chuck Grindstaff, president and CEO, Siemens PLM Software.
Partnerships such as this one between Siemens and the University of Maryland have such a great impact because they equip soon-to-be graduates with the skills manufacturers are most interested in. Not only does this grow the talent pool, but it also means that for businesses of any size, less time is required to get a recent graduate up to speed.
“At Siemens, we believe our success is determined by our ability to anticipate and engineer the future,” said Eric Spiegel, president and CEO, Siemens Corp. “This partnership provides us access to the next generation of innovators and inventors and establishes a framework for the mutually beneficial exchange of technologies, research and ideas.”
The University of Maryland is conveniently located only a few miles from Siemens’ Washington, D.C. headquarters and recently hosted Eric Spiegel, Siemens president and CEO, as part of a lecture series. Spiegel also serves on the UMD Energy Research Center Advisory Board.
