New Centers of Excellence in Emerging Markets, Enhanced Sponsorships and New Programs Provide Promising Future for the Next Generation of Design Innovators

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- At its annual World Press Days event, Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ:ADSK) today announced increased activity and commitment in global education programs and sponsorships through new Centers of Excellence (COEs) in China, India, and Russia, new and expanded partnerships with education organizations, and the growth of the Student Engineering and Design Community to more than 225,000 students and educators worldwide.  With the looming shortage of qualified engineers in the U.S., as well as the need for more skilled talent to support rapidly emerging economies, Autodesk is committed to supporting educators in preparing the next generation design professionals.

With design emerging as a competitive advantage, designers today are required to drive innovation, work in global teams, and work in a multi-disciplinary fashion.  To help design students address these expectations, Autodesk has established long-term partnerships with the world's leading education institutions to found more than 14 COEs worldwide in emerging countries such as India, China, and Russia.  These COEs provide faculty and students with digital design tools, multi-disciplinary and project-based curriculum, and state-of-the-art facilities necessary to explore and thrive with new design challenges.  Institutions that house COEs are national leaders in their fields that are having a direct impact on education, government, and industry.

Each Center of Excellence is customized to meet the needs of the students and customers in that region.  This customization is possible because of Autodesk's depth and breadth of industry solutions and expertise, and the multi-faceted support that Autodesk provides through funding, state-of-the-art software, research, and consulting.

Relationships with other leading educational institutions have been established in countries such as Russia, Brazil and Korea to open additional training facilities and COEs.  Autodesk has also partnered with non-profit organizations to provide funding, software and resources to educate and inspire students through project-based instruction and exciting, real-world engineering challenges.  Autodesk has made great strides in providing middle- and high-school students with a foundation for academic and professional success.  These efforts include:

WorldSkills International Sponsorship

•  More than 800 students from around the world competed in WorldSkills International 2007 in Japan last November, where Autodesk served as a global sponsor and the exclusive computer-aided design (CAD) software partner for the 2007 competition;
• The collaboration with WorldSkills International (WSI) will help to achieve higher standards and status for career and technical education and training;
• Over 800 competitors, experts and observers from 48 countries came together to witness talented youth compete for the top position in 49 different skills ranging from polymechanics, mechanical engineering, stone masonry, bakery and hair styling;
• Autodesk is now preparing for bi-annual competitions in Calgary in 2009, and in London in 2011.