News Releases

UWI Engineering Department leads in Internet Technology Education

For Release Upon Receipt - October 15, 2008

St. Augustine


The University of the West Indies (UWI) St Augustine Campus, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering has partnered with the Nortel Technology Solutions Academy (NTSA) and obtained Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology which has allowed it to take leaps and bounds in the education of students in the area of Internet Technology.

This technology has been integrated into a BSc. Telecommunication Networks course that the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (DECE) has developed in order to blend traditional academic content with industry-relevant materials and to provide rich practical experiences for students in preparation for the world of work. This new Telecommunication Networks course is the capstone of the Communication Systems option in the BSc. Programme; historically this course has covered traditional telecommunication networks, building upon the analog and digital transmission theory delivered by previous courses.

The Department has also purchased VoIP laboratory equipment and is currently developing laboratory exercises for incorporation into the curriculum. In order to incorporate VoIP into its curriculum, the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (DECE) has become a participant in the NTSA since 2007. By partnering with the NTSA, the Department gets access to Nortel’s industry-proven courseware and laboratory equipment at reduced cost as well as provides students with the opportunity to earn a Nortel Professional Certification.

After completing the Telecommunication Networks course, students would have covered the fundamentals necessary to sit the Nortel Certified Technology Specialist – Converged IP Solutions exam, and earn a Nortel professional certification. This certification is done through the in-house Nortel Certification Programme.

The Department is particularly interested in using the Unified Communication and Real-Time Networking material as the basis of an industry oriented Masters level course on modern network technologies.

Participation in the NTSA has afforded the Department courseware on VoIP and laboratory equipment at reduced cost. The courseware has been integrated into the BSc. programme and laboratory exercises based on the new equipment are being developed. This allows the Department to deliver industry relevant content and hands on experience to students with greatly reduced development effort and students enjoy the opportunity of earning a professional certification as they read an undergraduate course.

ABOUT NTSA and VoIP

The Nortel Technology Solutions Academy (NTSA) provides schools with cutting-edge learning solutions that educate and certify students in technologies that are shaping the future of communications. The Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) Technologies curriculum provided by the NTSA gives students a thorough understanding of VoIP technology. This curriculum covers the fundamentals of Voice over IP technologies, including the major components of the VoIP network, voice packetization, voice quality, bandwidth, addressing traffic convergence issues, VoIP standardization and protocols and network assessment. The goal is to provide students with the specific knowledge and skills they need to design and support complex VoIP solutions in Wide Area Networks (WAN) and Local Area Network (LAN) environments.

For further information about the partnership and course please contact Mr. Ravi Deonarine at ravi.deonarine@sta.uwi.edu .

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