eCAMPUSONTARIO LAUNCHES CAMPUS.EXCHANGE TO BOOST COLLABORATION BETWEEN INDUSTRY AND ACADEMIA

Campus.Exchange will drive innovation and growth by providing companies with "No Wrong Door"
to partnering with academic institutions for custom training, research and advisory services

TORONTO, March 3, 2025 /CNW/ - To help businesses respond to current and looming economic challenges, eCampusOntario is partnering with the Business + Higher Education Roundtable and FutureFit AI to provide one-stop-shop access to its 53-member post-secondary institutions in Ontario to help businesses easily access workforce training, research support, and advanced technology adoption.

With 53 member postsecondary institutions in Ontario, eCampusOntario is well positioned to help businesses respond to current and looming economic challenges. Ontario's companies can take advantage of Campus.Exchange's basket of integrated, customized services to:

• Create a more resilient and future-ready workforce through targeted upskilling
• Accelerate product development, market expansion and intellectual property development
• Benefit from earlier adoption of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence
• Innovate more confidently through advisory services and support

"Campus.Exchange is a strong step forward in reinforcing Ontario's business and higher education collaboration," said Robert Luke, CEO of eCampusOntario. "We know that a more accessible, trusted and integrated 'No Wrong Door' approach to enabling collaboration between industry and academia will pay dividends for companies, Ontario and Canada."

Higher education institutions are also facing their own unique difficulties and welcome opportunities to work with businesses to produce additional revenue, commercialize research and grow their market in skills training and development.  Working together with industry is more critical than ever for postsecondary institutions and will strengthen Ontario's economy and enhance its resilience.

"Ontario's businesses are stretched thin and busy, especially SMEs. eCampusOntario's initiative will make it easier for businesses to find and access accredited skills development and training opportunities as well as world-class research partnerships and innovation supports," says Val Walker, CEO of the Business + Higher Education Roundtable (BHER). "At BHER, we're thrilled to support solutions like this one that foster more business + higher education collaboration."

Campus.Exchange will be powered by FutureFit AI, the technology partner for the initiative, ensuring seamless connections between businesses and academic institutions.

"We're excited about the potential of Campus.Exchange to transform Ontario's workforce through targeted training and upskilling programs to solve critical business talent needs," said Hamoon Ekhtiari, Founder and CEO of FutureFit AI. "Campus.Exchange will bring together a wealth of skills development experience, resources, and courses from Ontario's incredible postsecondary institutions and facilitate an accessible and custom way for businesses to tap into those programs."

About Campus.Exchange

An initiative of eCampusOntario, Campus.Exchange links businesses and academia to boost collaboration, innovation and resilience. Designed as a custom "campus-in-a-company," Campus.Exchange brings Ontario's postsecondary sector and business sector together to provide companies with workforce training, research and commercialization partnerships, advanced technology adoption, and advisory services.  Find out more: https://campus.exchange

About eCampusOntario:

eCampusOntario is a provincially-funded not-for-profit organization that supports innovation, collaboration and education in Ontario's Indigenous institutes, colleges and universities. eCampusOntario provides the sector with platforms, programs and services to advance digital participation in postsecondary education, connecting Ontario's postsecondary institutions and learners to the future of learning and the future of work.

Additional Quotes:

Colleges Ontario
"Colleges are proud of their vital role in assuring a continuous workforce with in-demand qualifications and expertise. Campus.Exchange will be a valuable tool in helping us partner with businesses looking for custom skills development, as well as applied research support," said Maureen Adamson, Interim President and CEO of Colleges Ontario. "Campus.Exchange provides a new way for academia and industry to innovate together, and Colleges Ontario is pleased support eCampusOntario in this important endeavour."

Council of Ontario Universities
"Ontario's universities have a long history of collaborating with industry to drive innovation and economic growth. Campus.Exchange builds on that tradition by creating new opportunities for businesses and universities to work together in meaningful ways," said Steve Orsini, President and CEO of the Council of Ontario Universities. "By strengthening these connections, we're fostering innovation, developing talent and helping to build a more competitive and resilient economy."

Indigenous Institutions Consortium
"Collaboration and innovation have always been at the heart of our way of working, and we are pleased to support eCampusOntario's new Campus.Exchange initiative," said Marsha Josephs, Executive Director of the Indigenous Institutes Consortium. "Ensuring that our seven members institutions are  participants in this effort will contribute to a strong inclusive economy, where all Peoples, communities, Indigenous Institutes, and businesses can thrive."

Riipen
"At Riipen, we're bridging the gap between industry and higher education to create impactful, real-world learning collaborations, " says Dana Stephenson, Co-Founder and CEO of Riipen. "Through our partnership with eCampusOntario, learners from 30 institutions have collaborated with nearly 600 companies, completing more than 1,200 industry projects in 2024. The launch of Campus.Exchange marks a significant step toward a more connected, future-ready workforce, driving innovation, skills development, and economic growth."

SOURCE eCampusOntario

For media inquiries or more information about Campus.Exchange, please contact: Jason Northway-Frank, Senior Manager, Governance and Public Relations, eCampusOntario, [email protected]