Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/58063
Technology Getting the Best Tech On a B-School's Budget Most business schools want to offer their students state-of-the-art classrooms, computers, trading rooms, and wire- less access. But the latest and greatest technologies come with equally great price tags. Without large private donations, state funding, or univer- sity support, many school adminis- trators come to the conclusion that they simply can't have it all. Or can they? IESE in Barcelona, Spain, has developed a strategy that keeps new technology coming to its campus for its students and faculty—without the often prohibitive costs. In 1999, IESE asked Technotrends, a Spain- based videoconferencing company, to loan the school two state-of-the- art video conferencing units. The company not only agreed, but also included special discounts on the purchase of new equipment as well as free maintenance service and upgrades. In 2000, the school made a similar agreement with UUNET (now Verizon Business) to increase its Internet capacity. That agreement DATABI T marked a "turning point" in the school's IT strategy that inspired its "Technology Part- ner" program, explains Jordi Vallet, director of IT projects. The school provides its Technology Partners increased vis- ibility through ads and articles in its alumni magazine, coverage in press releases, and inclusion of company logos on its Web page. Partners also have the 60 One of seven new classrooms at IESE made possible, in part, through its Technology Partner Program. opportunity to test new products on campus and receive advice from IESE faculty. In return, the compa- nies agree to provide their products to the school for low or no cost. Since the agreements with More than 40 percent of firms intend to increase the amount they spend on commercial recruitment Web sites, according to the Recruitment Confidence Index (RCI) from Cranfield School of Management in the United Kingdom. The survey of 1,078 organizations also found that 32 percent reported that they spent less money on other recruitment methods last year because they relied more heavily on the Internet. BizEd MARCH/APRIL 2007 Technotrends and UUNET, IESE has received lap- tops and PDAs from Toshiba, anti-virus and spam software from TrendMicro, and lecture theaters with advanced audio and video technology from Sony. IESE most recently partnered with MICRO-BLANC, a systems integrator for IBM in Spain. The company installed an integration and con- solidation solution for the school's more than 90 servers. The school is currently in negotiations with 12 more technology providers. "IESE, like many academic insti- tutions and companies, does not have a sufficient IT budget to keep it at the forefront of technologi- cal development at all times," says Vallet. "With this in mind, it was necessary to come up with some creative solutions beyond traditional sponsoring, to meet and surpass the expectations of our clients, be they professors and staff or students and client companies." The level at which companies can contribute can vary. Full Technol- ogy Partners provide the school with services and equipment equivalent to more than €1,000,000. Technology Affiliates contribute the equivalent of more than €500,000. Sponsoring companies contribute technological goods and services in amounts less than €500,000. Depending on the agreement, IESE may receive the