In partnership with SAP, the world’s largest enterprise applications software company, and the Interaction Design Foundation (IDF), North Carolina A&T State University is committed to sharing the knowledge of free educational technologies with students and faculty across campus, throughout the nation and around the world. On Friday, May 31, at 2 p.m., in the Academic Classroom Building (located on Bluford St. and off Benbow Rd.), the university will host Max, the “Around the World Biker,” as a premier pit stop on his four-year global trek to promote open access to quality educational materials.

The U.S. leg of the Share the Knowledge Tour began in Orlando, Fla. on May 17 at SAP’s North American customer service facility and will make its way across the nation with periodic breaks at top university campuses. Max is taking on the 35,000 mile odyssey to promote sustainability and the IDF’s products, such as IDF free textbooks, online resources and other free educational materials. SAP has donated $600,000 to support the IDF in its effort to make education affordable and attainable by every person on this planet.

SAP University Alliance and N. C. A&T are going the extra mile to build awareness of open-access to these quality materials. A&T has encouraged its students, faculty and staff as well as local community partners to go the “NCAT Mile” and meet Max on the road when he arrives in the city. After his arrival, the parade will cycle down East Market Street to the campus, where Max will share his inspiring story and his hope of “creating a more sustainable world through education.”

The School of Business and Economics (SoBE) leads the SAP University Alliances relationship with SAP and is leading the Aggie campus in this innovative open access to education movement. During fall semester 2012-2013, the ERP/SAP platform and technologies were introduced into the Supply Chain Management (SCM) curriculum, one of the fastest growing business school majors.

“It is imperative that SCM students be exposed to Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) technologies, such as SAP, before entering the workforce,” said Dr. Linda Silver Coley, chairperson of the Department of Marketing Transportation and Supply Chain at A&T.

“SAP is a great resource in the process of facilitating exposure to ERP/SAP in our curriculum and we are happy to support SAP in its commitment to promote open access to education through hosting Max, the Around the World Biker.”

A&T will serve as the launch pad for the third leg of the Share the Knowledge Tour and the second university stop among participating universities. The event is free and open to the public. For more information contact Coley at (336) 285-3445 or lscoley@ncat.edu.