Industry and Education Working Together to Drive Technologies of the Future
March 31, 2009

MANILA - Asia Pacific College (APC) has teamed up with Nortel* [TSX: NT | OTC: NRTLQ], through its Nortel Technology Solutions Academy (NTSA), to establish the Nortel Communication Laboratory in the Philippines to focus on network communications technology.
The NTSA provides universities and colleges with leading-edge learning solutions that educate and certify students in technologies that are shaping the future of communications.

Under the academic partnership, APC's Engineering curriculum will be strengthened with Nortel's courseware to equip students with the proper skills, knowledge and training in Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology, and in the near future, for Unified Communications. Students will benefit from 80 to 100 hours of available training materials, complemented by APC's state-of-the-art equipment and supported by Nortel's technical experts.

"This collaboration between the college and Nortel is important in establishing a symbiotic blend of theoretical and practical knowledge, helping cultivate a strong technology-based workforce," said Paulino Tan, president of APC. "This focus on VoIP and convergence technology enhances and addresses a critical need for such solutions skill within the college's engineering curriculum."

This project enables Nortel to help educational institutions, like APC, achieve academic excellence through the development and deployment of innovative VoIP technology that will benefit enterprises in the Philippines in the future. The initiative likewise assists APC in its commitment to ensure that its future graduates are equipped with the technology knowledge and skill sets that are highly in demand in the burgeoning IT market.

"Nortel recognizes the critical role that academia plays in elevating the skill sets of future communications technology professionals, and as such, we are committed to partnering and building stronger relationships with colleges and universities like APC through the NTSA," said Armando Pascual, Enterprise leader, Nortel Philippines. "Nortel is proud and honored to be able to contribute to the development and skills-training of future industry leaders."

Both students and faculty of APC will have the opportunity to earn internationally recognized Nortel Professional Certification, in turn making them more marketable in the rapidly evolving global IT employment market.

APC plans to launch the program for the 2009-2010 academic year, beginning in June 2009. Initial work is underway to acquire and install the communications laboratory, curriculum enhancement discussions are underway and faculty training will begin soon.

Nortel is a leader in delivering communication capabilities to various sectors like finance, banking, manufacturing, government, education, contact centers, public utilities, education and telephone companies - and has been an active communications leader in the Philippines for over 20 years.

About Asia Pacific College

The Asia Pacific College (APC) is the product of the educational collaboration between two prominent and highly-successful privately-owned corporations - IBM Philippines and SM (Shoemart) Foundation. APC has evolved into an excellent scholastic institution dedicated to providing its students with an education that combines rigorous academic study and the excitement of applied projects and internship programs with the support and intellectual stimulation of a diverse campus community. The college is devoted to advancing knowledge and educating students in information technology, commerce, engineering, accountancy, entrepreneurship, multimedia arts and other areas of scholarship that will best serve the global community in the 21st century. APC believes that professional competence is best fostered by coupling teaching and hands-on-training and forging these two is one of the mainsprings of growth in an economy increasingly defined by technology.