INDUSTRY

The University of Pisa, one of Italy 's most prestigious universities and largest engineering schools, has purchased 500 licenses of SolidWorks Education Edition 3D mechanical design software so that its students will learn computer-aided design (CAD) with the same software used by Italy 's leading manufacturers and design companies. Since its founding in 1343, notable scientists like Galileo Galilei and Nobel prizewinners Enrico Fermi and Carlo Rubbia have been linked to the University of Pisa . SolidWorks has become the institution's new standard for undergraduate instruction. Students will now learn product planning and engineering techniques on 500 desktops equipped with SolidWorks software. Students will also learn the fundamentals of 3D design analysis with COSMOSWorks, COSMOSMotion , and COSMOSFloWorks software included with each license of SolidWorks Student Edition. Prior to choosing SolidWorks, the university thoroughly evaluated several other mechanical design software packages. “It wasn't just SolidWorks' market position or reputation that made the difference,” said Sandro Barone, a lecturer at the University of Pisa . “Above all, we were convinced it would easily fit into our curriculum because of its ease of use, simplicity of installation and maintenance, and the availability of specialized courseware and the Student Design Kit. Moreover, we wanted to give our students the career advantage of using the very same software that Italian businesses use.” University of Pisa students will use SolidWorks in design and engineering courses as they pursue degrees in mechanical engineering, automotive engineering, and managerial engineering. “The University of Pisa has a long history of teaching excellence, innovation, and leadership in the European academic community. With the SolidWorks Education Edition, the university can expect ease of use, flexibility, and power,” said Rosanne Kramer, director of worldwide education marketfor SolidWorks Corporation . “Courses last only 55 hours, and the lecturers simply don't have the time to teach students the mechanics of the software. With SolidWorks, lecturers can immediately begin teaching the concepts and processes of design. We are pleased that the University of Pisa has chosen to modernize their engineering program with the SolidWorks Education Edition, and we look forward to a long and dynamic relationship with its faculty and students.” The University of Pisa relies on SolidWorks reseller Exis for ongoing software training, implementation, and support. Background: Pisa University is one of Italy 's fastest-growing universities. It has more than 48,000 students, 1,900 professors/researchers, and 1,700 administrative-technical personnel. Half of the university's students are studying technical or scientific subjects. Research is carried on in 11 main areas. Pisa University has 52 departments, 16 libraries, 13 museums, and five studying rooms. Pisa University considers itself a pioneer in the development of new learning processes. Focus is on the individual student and the goal is to provide him/her with the top learning tools. For more information, please visit http://www.unipi.it Exis, (www.exis.it), a SolidWorks reseller since 1996, forms part of the TAI Sistemi group with offices in Florence and Pisa . Its forward-looking high-technology solutions help customers efficiently redesign internal business processes and applications. Particularly remarkable is its performance in the industrial sector, where Exis successfully combines its experience in the relational database sector, the Internet, and systems integration with the power and the flexibility of SolidWorks software. SolidWorks Corporation, a Dassault Systèmes S.A. (Nasdaq: DASTY, Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA) company, develops and markets software for mechanical design, analysis, and product data management. It is the #1 supplier of 3D mechanical design software for the mainstream market. SolidWorks leads the market in number of users in production, customer satisfaction, and revenue. For the latest news, information, or a live online demonstration, visit the company's Web site (www.solidworks.com) or call 1-800-693-9000 (outside of North America , call +1-978-371-5000).