FT Electronic joins up with the Jisc

FT Electronic publishing joins up with the Joint Information Systems Committee (Jisc) to provide 1.7 million students with business information via the web

Revolutionising learning, teaching and research with virtual information facilities for students across the UK

London, 18th August 1999 - Leading online information provider Financial Times Electronic Publishing has joined forces with the Joint Information Systems Committee (Jisc) to enable over 1.7 million students to access substantial business information via the web. Under the agreement Financial Times Electronic Publishing will supply its extensive web-based business news and information content to subscribing institutions in the UK's Higher and Further Education sectors.

The Jisc aims to develop and improve the information technologies currently available to the Higher and Further Education communities. "Working with FT Electronic Publishing will enable us to revolutionise the way in which learning and teaching are conducted," said Allan Foster, Director of Information Services at Keele University and a member of the Jisc's Content Working Group. "By providing internet access to a centralised source of searchable business information, students and researchers can conduct extensive business research without having to rely on the library. As more and more students enrol for part-time or distance-learning courses, such virtual information facilities are becoming increasingly important."

The FT deal has been negotiated directly by the Jisc Collections Manager and the Content Working Group. "This is because of the value we perceive for UK Higher Education in a collaborative and strategic partnership with FT Electronic Publishing, and because of the standard of the FT itself," said Alicia Wise, Jisc Collections Manager. "With this deal subscribing institutions get full text access to the Financial Times from 1982, which is an essential tool for students and staff in colleges and universities."

FT Electronic Publishing will provide access for subscribing institutions to over 4000 business news and information sources via its web-based research tool FT Discovery, designed for quick and easy business research. Sources range from key business newspapers and journals (including the full text of the Financial Times from 1982), to company information, financial data, country analysis and broker reports.

The standard of information retrieved from FT Discovery is excellent and the deal negotiated by the Jisc ensures that the cost is lower for universities and colleges. FT Electronic Publishing's long experience in providing information solutions to different sectors puts it in a unique position to provide subscribing institutions with relevant content. "We are very familiar with the needs of the education sector," said Chris Jones, Director of Business Information Products at FT Electronic Publishing. "Students, just like business professionals, need quick and cost-effective access to quality information which they can rely on."

Parent company Pearson is highly committed to the provision of information services to the education sector. Pearson Education, the world's leading education business, is revolutionising the way people learn through technology. Pearson and its subsidiary companies have adopted an overall group strategy to serve the cause of education from a business perspective, this is demonstrated by the new agreement between FT Electronic Publishing and the Jisc.