Dassault Systèmes and Queen’s University Establish PLM Competency Centre

Queen’s University, Belfast to use CATIA V5, DELMIA and SMARTEAM V5 for engineering studies

Belfast, U.K. and Paris, France, October 11, 2005 — Dassault Systèmes (Nasdaq: DASTY, Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA) today announced a new partnership with Queen’s University, Belfast, U.K., whereby the company will provide PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) solutions for education and research.

Queen’s University will integrate Dassault Systèmes world leading collaborative PLM product development solutions in its research and undergraduate curricula: CATIA V5 for 3D product development, DELMIA for digital definition of manufacturing processes, and SMARTEAM for product data and lifecycle management. Dassault Systèmes will collaborate with the Northern Ireland Technology Centre (NITC) at the university to develop PLM-related courses adapted to the rapidly changing business environment. As a result, the undergraduate curriculum will include a PLM module, and in the near future it is anticipated that the university’s Master of Science (MSc) students will be the first postgraduates in Europe able to study for a higher degree in PLM, using Dassault Systèmes software.

The partnership will benefit companies in Northern Ireland by providing young engineers trained on the digital design software used by most of the world's most successful manufacturers. NITC will also help companies to develop the skills of their engineers by using Dassault Systèmes software as part of the University's range of Continual Professional Development training programs. Foremost of those companies is Bombardier, the largest manufacturing company in Northern Ireland, which sponsors a Chair in Aerospace at the university, as well as numerous research projects, including a recently completed successful pilot project validating digital manufacturing tools from Dassault Systèmes on its CRJ 700/900 aircraft’s trans-section Final Assembly Line.

Tom Edgar, NITC director, explains, “This is an important partnership for Queen's University Belfast and the wider economy. It supports our efforts to transform Northern Ireland into an innovative economy by providing direct access for students, researchers and companies to the most up-to-date PLM technology developed by the acknowledged industry leader. The partnership will also facilitate the university’s curriculum development in engineering. Our undergraduate and postgraduate students will gain expertise in conceptual design through to manufacturing, giving them complete product-lifecycle knowledge.”

“Queen's University is recognized for its close ties to industry,” says Pierre-Jacques Bauer, Worldwide Academic Relations Manager, Dassault Systèmes. “Academic institutions are key to enterprises competing on the international scene, as they educate the highly skilled engineers who will manage innovation and optimize processes using cutting-edge PLM solutions. With this partnership, Dassault Systèmes demonstrates its active engagement in providing students the most advanced PLM tools and technology to be used in their curricula.”

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