Cisco joins forces with Sheridan College and Partners in Research to expand education in Canada

Cisco Canada today has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Sheridan College and Partners In Research (PIR), to promote science and technology as a career path and transform the way K-12 students learn about science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) in the classroom.

Under the terms of the MoU, the parties will collaborate on activities and projects that take advantage of advanced video technologies. Cisco has contributed more than $1 million worth of collaboration equipment to enable the project. To deliver these solutions, Sheridan College is providing the data centre space and IT resources to support the enterprise-class Cisco Show and Share webcasting and video sharing solution.

The collaboration seeks to expand and enrich the opportunities for students presented by the VROC (Virtual Researcher on Call) program across Canada. Run by Partners In Research, the VROC program seeks to inspire students in STEM subjects by bringing experts directly to the classroom through two-way video. The VROC program offers five- to 10-minute spontaneous video conferencing sessions, hour-long interactive presentations and semester-long mentorship style sessions.

Using technology like the Show and Share webcasting and video sharing application, Partners In Research are also able to create accessible videos which are distributed through its website to students and teachers.

“As a leading postsecondary institution in Canada, Sheridan is passionate about immersing people in learning,” said Jeff Zabudsky, president and CEO, Sheridan College. “We are delighted to offer our considerable experience and resources to the VROC program to help facilitate this goal. Once students leave grade 12, there are tremendous opportunities for them to pursue applied studies in science, technology, engineering or math at Sheridan. Our programs help to prepare Canada’s young graduates for the careers that they will have over the course of their lifetimes.”