PricewaterhouseCoopers To Lead Team Developing U.S. Army University Access Online Program, Providing Distance Learning for Soldiers Around the Globe

Business Wire, Dec 14, 2000

Business Editors

ARLINGTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 14, 2000

PricewaterhouseCoopers, the world's largest professional services organization, today announced that it has been awarded a contract by the U.S. Department of the Army to develop and operate the Army University Access Online Program, an educational Web portal designed to provide distance learning opportunities to U.S. soldiers stationed around the world.

Under this major, five-year contract, PricewaterhouseCoopers will lead a consortium of world-class hardware and software companies along with 29 accredited higher education institutions to create a complete online university serving Army soldier-students.

The Army University Access Online Program will enable U.S. enlisted soldiers to use an education Web portal to take distance learning courses and earn certificates, associate's degrees, bachelor's degrees, and master's degrees while they continue to serve. The Army estimates that 12,000 to 15,000 soldiers will participate in the program in 2001 - the program's first year of operation - and that as many as 80,000 soldiers will participate in the program by its fifth year. Soldier-students who enroll in the program will be issued laptop computers and provided Internet access at no cost, provided they complete three courses.

The Army plans to launch a distance learning pilot program at Fort Benning, Ga.; Fort Campbell, Ky.; and Fort Hood, Texas. The program will be expanded more broadly during the next five years.

"This is a monumental step for both the Army and our e-Learning Network of partners," said PricewaterhouseCoopers CEO James J. Schiro. "This educational services solution provides the Army, its soldier-students and the Army Continuing Education Service administrators best-in-class online education programs, technology components and experienced project management that will ensure the Army's success in delivering distance education programs to its soldiers."

About PricewaterhouseCoopers

The Management Consulting Services practice of PricewaterhouseCoopers helps clients maximize their business performance by integrating strategic change, process improvements and technology solutions. Through a world-wide network of skills and resources, consultants manage complex projects with global capabilities and local knowledge, from strategy through implementation. PricewaterhouseCoopers (www.pwcglobal.com) is the world's largest professional services organization. Drawing on the knowledge and skills of more than 150,000 people in 150 countries, we help our clients solve complex business problems and measurably enhance their ability to build value, manage risk and improve performance in an Internet-enabled world.

PricewaterhouseCoopers refers to the member firms of the world-wide PricewaterhouseCoopers organization.

Note to Editors: The name PricewaterhouseCoopers is one word, with upper case P, upper case C, and all other letters in lower case.