The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Dassault Systèmes and MTECH Establish Academic Partnership

University to advance Product Lifecycle Management education and research with latest CATIA and SMARTEAM solutions

Hong Kong, China and Paris, France - October 29, 2003 - The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), Dassault Systèmes (Nasdaq: DASTY; Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA) and MTECH Engineering Co. Ltd. (MTECH) today announced the creation of an academic partnership to support the Department of Mechanical Engineering (ME) and promote Hong Kong as a world class high-tech and design center.

Under the terms of the co-operation agreement, Dassault Systèmes will provide the Mechanical Engineering Department with CATIA V5 and SMARTEAM for its Product Analysis and Design Program (PAD) and Design Analysis Center (DAC). Dassault Systèmes and business partner MTECH will also install and support the system. In turn, ME will strengthen PLM education in its undergraduate degree programs and design and supervise PLM postgraduate research projects. Furthermore, ME will become a Certified CATIA Training Center in the Asia-Pacific region.

“Today’s market demands engineers who can focus on knowledge rather than skill,” said Ronald So, head and chair professor of Mechanical Engineering, Hong Kong Polytechnic University. “Our program requires close collaboration with industry, and thanks to this partnership, we can offer our students a one-of-a-kind program that focuses on knowledge. It will give them the opportunity to learn about conceptual product design, how the design works, how to realize the product, and how to market and sell it.“

“We are convinced that PolyU’s decision to integrate PLM technology into the ME product design program will bring new talent to Hong Kong and benefit the manufacturing industry in the Pearl River Delta Region,” said Stephen Au, Managing Director of MTECH Engineering Co., Ltd. “Hong Kong, as a competitive, innovative design center, would be a strong, complementary partner for Mainland China as the manufacturing center.”

“This agreement will give students at PolyU access to the most sophisticated PLM technology on the market today,” said Francis Bernard, Executive Committee advisor, Dassault Systèmes. “Not only will it help them prepare for professional life, it will also ensure that they work with the same tools used by manufacturers around the world. In the long run, the partnership will benefit Hong Kong because PolyU graduates will have world-class PLM knowledge and skills.”