News Release

Bell Canada invests $1 million in engineering entrepreneurship at McMaster University

Business Announcement

McMaster University

Bell Canada and McMaster Engineering partnership to foster technology breakthroughs in telecommunications and multimedia, develop engineering entrepreneurship.

Bell Canada today announced a $1-million investment in McMaster University's Master of Engineering Entrepreneurship and Innovation (MEEI) program over the next five years.

The new partnership will focus on systems and technology development initiatives. MEEI students will work collaboratively with Bell employees to research and evaluate business breakthroughs.

"This partnership will provide a competitive advantage to Bell Canada by offering insights and perspectives on Information, Communications and Technology (ICT) developments," said Eugene Roman, Group President, Bell Canada Systems and Technology. "This will allow Bell Canada to access a creative and innovative talent pool that will provide analysis and critical thinking on projects, applications and technologies."

MEEI was established to provide engineers and scientists with the skills necessary to transform technical expertise into commercial success. The program utilizes industry proven business start-up methodology and is taught by business practitioners.

"Bell is demonstrating foresight and leadership by participating in a new avenue for assessing technology ideas and bringing the most promising to market," said Rafik Loutfy, Director, Xerox Centre for Engineering Entrepreneurship and Innovation at McMaster University. "In doing so, they are also helping to develop a new generation of engineers who will bring an entrepreneurial approach to their work."

Bell has worked in partnership with McMaster University since 2001. Recently, it contributed $450,000 to pursue research in biomedical engineering advancements in telerobotics, teleinformatics, communications networks, telepathology and other complex IP-based technologies. In recognition of this contribution, a laboratory in the new School of Biomedical Engineering was officially named the Bell University Laboratory in Integrated Systems today.

"Collaborations with organizations such as Bell open up an exchange of ideas that advances learning, research and innovation," said Mo Elbestawi, Dean, Faculty of Engineering, McMaster University. "It initiates a cycle that brings forward fundamental research while feeding back issues that can be addressed through the applied nature of engineering."

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About Bell Canada

Bell Canada is Canada's national leader in communications with 28 million customer connections across the country. The company provides consumers with simple solutions to all their communications needs, including telephone services, wireless communications, high-speed Internet, digital television and voice over IP. Bell also offers integrated information and communications technology (ICT) services to businesses and governments, and is the Virtual Chief Information Officer (VCIO) to small and medium businesses (SMBs).

Bell is proud to be a Premier National Partner and the exclusive Communications Partner to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Bell is wholly-owned by BCE Inc. For information on Bell's products and services, please visit www.bell.ca, and for corporate information on BCE, please visit www.bce.ca.

About McMaster University

McMaster University, a world-renowned, research-intensive university, fosters a culture of innovation, and a commitment to discovery and learning in teaching, research and scholarship. Based in Hamilton, the University, one of only four Canadian universities to be listed on the Top 100 universities in the world, has a student population of more than 23,000, and an alumni population of more than 120,000 in 128 countries.


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