AMHERST, N.Y. – Daemen College has joined academic alliances with two of the world’s leading software companies to bring hands-on learning with top business software and other real-world resources into the classroom.

Through Daemen’s membership in the Microsoft Dynamics Academic Alliance and the SAP University Alliance Program, specialized software used by businesses across the country and hands-on educational resources will be integrated into the business administration curriculum. The college has started incorporating these new technologies and additional tools into selected courses with plans to expand it into others in the next academic year.

“Using these resources in the classroom will expand our experiential learning opportunities by providing students real-world experience and knowledge that will give them a competitive edge in the job market,” said Dr. Michele Flint, chairperson of accounting, business administration and paralegal studies. “These partnerships will help our students to gain valuable skills that they can use in a professional role.”

As a Microsoft Dynamics Academic Alliance partner, Daemen will have access to Microsoft Dynamics software, support, and community-building opportunities.

The program is described as providing a realistic learning environment that allows students to gain “a holistic understanding of business processes and interactions among roles and departments, giving them the tools to launch their careers in organizations where they can make a difference.”

The SAP University Alliance will give Daemen access to SAP curriculum materials, instructional Webinars and videos, learning platforms, demos, and online courses. According to SAP, “the program aims to develop highly qualified graduates with critical skills for the 21^st century workforce.”

Both alliances will be incorporated in a range of course areas, including accounting, human resources, operations management, purchasing, sales, and marketing.

“With the demand for experience in business technologies and applications, our students will have the distinct advantage of building skills that will be directly applicable to the real world and make them more marketable to employers,” said Torsten Doering, director of the global business program. “These partnerships will expand the depth and breadth of our business program and provide our students additional experience that is relevant in their careers.”