“Without Microsoft Business Productivity Online Standard Suite, we wouldn’t have been able to put together a course such as this, based on practical knowledge.” Tomáš Kubálek, Associate Professor of Engineering, School of International Relations at the Economics University The School of International Relations at the Economics University (VŠE) in Prague combines academic excellence with the practical skills its graduates need when they start their careers as managers, political scientists, and diplomats. From 2010, those studying IT management gained access to a new tool—Microsoft Business Productivity Online Standard Suite, a set of Microsoft-hosted communication and collaboration solutions that give students access to the resources they need at any time, from anywhere with an internet connection. Business Needs VŠE is the largest state-run economics university in the Czech Republic. It is divided into six schools offering students a broad range of subjects in bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and doctoral studies. In addition to providing highly rated qualifications, one of the university’s priorities is to give students the practical experience in the skills they might need in the workplace. Modern corporate communications can be a challenge, so the university wanted to educate students on the tools used in industry. Tomáš Kubálek, Associate Professor of Engineering at the School of International Relations at the Economics University (VŠE), says: “Our task is to prepare students for real situations they will encounter in their future employment as managers, and, in many cases, members of international teams. Effective communication within a company is an essential element for its success, so we wanted to expose students to technologies that have widespread adoption—such as those offered by Microsoft.” But Kubálek and his colleagues anticipated that to standardise on Microsoft technologies at the university would require considerable financial investment and time in overseeing installation and configuration—a service it didn’t have sufficient capacity to provide. The university wanted to give students access to the tools they need from both on and off campus. And, for this, it required an infrastructure that was not only accessible, but also secure. It needed to be deployed quickly and cost effectively, without changing the university’s central IT infrastructure. Solution Microsoft provided the opportunity to evaluate Business Productivity Online Standard Suite for 30 days. This gave Kubálek enough time to familiarise himself with the system and begin to develop a new course based on it. “I quickly saw the benefit of using these tools in the teaching and learning process,” says Kubálek. “Thanks to the free trial period, we were able to get a new subject up and running in record time.” Customer: School of International Relations at the Economics University Website: www.vse.cz Number of Employees: 1,000 Country or Region: Czech Republic Industry: Education—Higher education Customer Profile The School of International Relations at the Economics University in Prague is the largest state-run economics university in the Czech Republic. Software and Services Microsoft Online Services − Microsoft Business Productivity Online Standard Suite − Microsoft Exchange Online − Microsoft SharePoint Online − Microsoft Office Communications Online Microsoft Office − Microsoft Office Live Meeting − Microsoft Outlook 2010 − Microsoft Office Outlook Web Access Microsoft Server Product Portfolio − Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 For more information about other Microsoft customer successes, please visit: www.microsoft.com/casestudies Microsoft Online Services Customer Solution Case Study University Uses Online Services to Prepare Its Students for the Workplace