Boston University Extends Affiliate Network to Malaysia, India, Cambodia, Australia, New Zealand and Sri Lanka.

Education Writers

BOSTON and SINGAPORE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 18, 2003

Boston University Education Affiliate Aldion Consulting Teams With Asian Educational Consortium Group To Provide World Class Project Management Training Programs For Region

Boston University today announced that Aldion Consulting, Boston University's Education Affiliate in Asia, will work with the Asian Educational Consortium (AEC) Group to deliver Boston University's proven, unparalleled project management training to Malaysia, India, Cambodia, Australia, New Zealand, and Sri Lanka.

"In today's Asia Pacific business world, project management skills can make the difference between success and failure of a business," said R. Jayapal, Group Executive Deputy Chairman of AEC. "We are definitely convinced that Boston University's official project management curriculum will help Asia Pacific companies to succeed in this competitive and ever-changing landscape."

Innovative leaders recognize the value that skilled project management brings to bottom line results. That value is bringing better products to market faster. Current studies demonstrate that the value of project management significantly improves the financial measures of ROI, sales growth and productivity.

Gartner Group estimates that 75 percent of e-business projects have failed (1999-2002) because of fundamental flaws in project planning. In addition, according to the Standish Group, of the more than $250 billion spent annually on IT application development, the average cost overrun is 89 percent of original estimate and the average time overrun is 222 percent of original estimate.

"We are delighted that an organization the caliber of AEC has chosen to join forces with us", said Luis E. Alvarez, PMP, CEO of Aldion Consulting. "AEC is well known for its network of schools and centers throughout Asia Pacific. With the impressive number of 20,000 students supported by a staff of 350, AEC has proven to be at the forefront of business education in this part of the world."

Boston University has developed project management training programs -- based on the Project Management Institute's PMBOK(R) (Project Management Body of Knowledge) guidelines -- that teach managers how to assess needs and risks of a project, manage its costs and timing demands, build a strong cohesive team and build a project plan for successful acceptance of new technology, processes, or products. These programs are offered with flexible timing formats including the "certificate" and "master certificate" day programs, as well as the very successful evening program, which has been created to work with busy project team schedules.

"AEC is a leading education network in Asia Pacific. We are looking forward to working with AEC to fully leverage its expertise and deliver unprecedented value to clients," said Andy Kelley, CEO of Boston University's Educational Affiliate Network. "The opportunity to extend the benefits of project management services to the entire business community in Asia Pacific, as well as to the public sector, is extremely exciting for all of us. The combination of Boston University's Education Affiliate Network, AEC, and Aldion Consulting brings together world-class programs, broad educational expertise and in-depth regional knowledge. This is a formula for great success."

About Boston University Education Affiliate Network

Boston University Education Affiliate Network is a groundbreaking venture from Boston University that provides IT and management development training products and services internationally. Led by a senior management team that was instrumental in making Boston University's Corporate Education Center New England's leading IT training and project management provider, the BU Education Affiliate Network has developed a channel of regional training organizations and academic institutions that offer the proven IT and project management curricula from Boston University. In addition to award-winning programs, affiliates gain access to marketing, recruitment and career enhancement support services developed at Boston University. Boston University affiliates can act as resellers of Boston University-delivered programs under their own brand or they may choose to deliver training using "Boston University Official Curriculum" courseware, and BU's program and marketing support. Affiliates will also have the opportunity to distribute their own in-demand, high quality programs through the Boston University Education Affiliate network. To learn more about Boston University Education Network, visit the web site at www.bunetwork.com and they can be contacted at [phone].

About Asian Educational Consortium (AEC) Group

The Asian Educational Consortium (AEC) Group evolved from a school in Singapore offering correspondence courses in computer training in the early 1980s.

The AEC Group is one the early pioneers in Asia in the delivery of distance learning and online learning programs and has partnerships with internationally recognized universities and institutions. The range of programs and services offered include the delivery of university programs, recruitment of students, online learning technology support and skills development programs.

In this age of a highly competitive and ever changing business environment, the need to develop human resources has resulted in a tremendous growth in the development of education and training in the region.

One of the major goals of AEC is thus to become a recognized organization providing world-class education to students around the region. Its programs range from 'O' levels to Doctorate levels, and are mostly conducted via collaborated arrangements with institutions from the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Australia.

While Kuala Lumpur and Singapore remain the hubs of operations for AEC, we are rapidly expanding throughout Asia Pacific. Currently, AEC's network consists of schools and centers in Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Myanmar, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and United Kingdom, flaunting an impressive number of 20,000 students supported by 350 staff.

The Asian Educational Consortium (AEC) Group is on the web at www.aec.edu.sg and can be contacted at (65) 65-6220-3500.

About Aldion Consulting

Aldion Consulting is the faster-growing project management consulting and education company in Asia. Its mission is to offer top quality consulting and training services to clients who strive for excellence through the application of project management knowledge, processes, tools, and technology. The firm's vision is to become a prestigious and innovative international project management consulting and education firm, distinguished for the high professional quality of its personnel and services, in such a way as to guarantee its clients satisfaction beyond their expectations.

Aldion Consulting has been offering Boston University's Project Management Training Programs in its headquarter offices in Singapore and Indonesia since September, 2002. Project management training will be available through its Beijing and Shanghai offices soon after the March date. The company is qualified to work in languages including English, Spanish, Mandarin, Bahasa Melayu, Bahasa Indonesia, and Tagalog. Aldion Consulting is on the web at www.aldion.us and can be contacted at (65) 6866 3398.