CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive
29 September 2008
Company News
Autodesk Student Engineering and Design Community is Redesigned and Reaches Record Number of Members
Autodesk has redesigned its Student Engineering and Design Community website with a new look and feel that is more closely aligned with other popular social networking sites frequented by students. The enhanced Student Community offers several new features and benefits to more than 350,000 students and educators.
"Having access to free software in the Autodesk Student Community is crucial for future professional designers," said Roland Cernat, winner of the Industrial Design category of the Student Design Challenge and the Sustainable Design Grand Prize. "The broad range of programs available in the community gives me the opportunity to easily try out and choose the programs that best match my needs. As an industrial design student I use Autodesk AliasStudio software, and while learning the curriculum, the community was the primary place I went to get help, stay up-to-date and much more. The community has been vital in giving me the right tools and guidance to be prepared for the requirements of my future job."
In addition to a new look and feel, the redesign introduces the following member benefits:
-- More community interaction, similar to Facebook social networking, profile sharing, blogging and news feeds
-- A Career Hidden List Center that includes job search technology, employer profiles, and career advice
-- Community TV, which allows users to showcase their work and increase awareness for the Student Community on the Google-YouTube network
-- Directed learning path to guide members through the design process and use of design software
-- Community RSS newsfeed
-- Easier access with a new widget that faculty can post on their school's intranet site allowing their students one-click access
-- A more robust search tool
"We developed a large portion of the redesign and new features based on our members' input. We created the Student Community to provide students with the vital tools and information they need to learn the design process and be successful in their careers. Educators benefit by having access to our software, curriculum and faculty-only forum and discussion groups," said Paul Mailhot, director of worldwide education programs at Autodesk. "This redesign comes on the heels of many recent milestones for Autodesk Education, including the global "Build Something" student design contest, the launch of the China Student Community, and the release of our new Autodesk VEX Robotics curriculum."
Since September 2006, the Autodesk Student Engineering and Design Community has attracted members from more than 16,600 schools in 137 countries, Over 350,000 members have downloaded approximately 650,000 copies of Autodesk's 3D design software solutions.
Partner Offers Student Editions of Software
Software partner RISA Technologies is joining the initiative by providing the next generation of design and engineering professionals with student editions of their products free of charge.
When members visit the Learning and Tutorials section of the online community, they can find software and related learning tools. For example, RISA Technologies offers free student versions of RISA-3D and RISAFloor structural engineering software applications for analysis and design.
About Autodesk Education
Autodesk supports schools and institutions of higher learning worldwide through substantial discounts, subscriptions, grant programs, training, curricula development and community resources. For more information, visit http://www.autodesk.com/education.
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