Polycom is a global leader in open standards-based unified communications (UC) solutions for voice and video collaboration?solutions that enable companies? geographically-dispersed workforces to communicate and collaborate effectively and productively over distances. Polycom also enables a rich learning experience for students and educators ?from school classrooms to the world?s top universities. In fact, a recent Frost & Sullivan and Polycom report says that enterprising video solutions and video-conferencing will play a key role in addressing many of the challenges education faces today. Lynnette Whitfield, director, education industry solutions & market development, Asia Pacific, Polycom, who was in India recently to represent Polycom at the World Didac India, in an interaction with Vikram Chaudhary, shares how Polycom solutions are delivering borderless education, optimising productivity and improving operational efficiency.
What is the role of education industry solutions & market development at Polycom?
We are responsible for creating solutions for geographically dispersed schools and learning institutions, helping them communicate and collaborate more effectively over distances by leveraging the benefits of unified communication solutions. We also specialise in helping schools and institutions that are new to video-conferencing, offer teacher professional development, and help develop content for galleries, museums, music conservatories, etc. We have been reaching out to schools in India, carrying out localised initiative and providing Indian students a chance to participate in global platforms.
How is collaboration being leveraged in the field of education?
If the late 20th century was the age of information, the early 21st century is the age of collaboration. While collaboration is the buzzword in organisations, it is now being leveraged in domains such as education. Collaborative learning is on the rise in classrooms as a connected generation of students and their teachers expect access to information any time and anywhere. Collaborative technology solutions are viewed as key assets to help educational institutions meet the needs of this mobile generation cost-effectively while also addressing the requirements of the faculty. In order to provide enhanced learning experiences and reach students anywhere and any time, educational institutions are blending interactive audio, video, web collaboration and instant messaging tools to create comprehensive distance learning solutions. Integrated into a single, comprehensive platform, these services unlock a world of new opportunities for collaboration and communication among students and staff, and help to create a more engaging learning environment.
Education today faces major changes as primary, secondary and tertiary educators address global opportunities, challenges and needs?
Correct, and so educational institutions must develop students as global citizens. In fact, our voice and video solutions give students more interactive, immersive and innovative educational experience. The technology also pays for itself by reducing administrative costs and improving staff productivity. With our solutions, an institution can help students access knowledge and content wherever they?re located; provide distance learning that is interactive; equip administrators and faculty; promote greater interaction and engagement among teachers and students, among others.
How your solutions work for primary and secondary education?
Our solutions enable distance learning and mobile administration, and readily teach applied skills such as teamwork, collaboration, problem solving and communication. Today?s educators and trainers must provide a wide range of content and services to administrators, staff, students, stakeholders and employees. They need affordable and easy-to use classroom solutions that enable a rich and productive learning experience. Polycom solutions improve collaboration through natural interaction, allow for quicker decision-making and extend an organisation?s geographical reach. In addition, Polycom solutions empower organisations to function more efficiently on a daily basis, enable global partnerships, increase enrollment, and connect and interact with remote subject matter experts. Polycom helps primary and secondary education providers to produce knowledge workers for a global economy, enable interactive distance learning, and provide mobility for administrators, faculty and students, among others.
There was a report about Polycom taking video-conferencing market share lead in India?
Yes. The recent Frost & Sullivan report shows that Polycom holds 50.2% of market in India for video-conferencing systems & infrastructure, as of 2011. Emerging as a preferred partner for video collaboration systems and infrastructure, Polycom?s growth has been ahead of industry growth trends. According to the report, Polycom showcased a growth of 45% in the video conferencing endpoint market (ahead of the industry growth rate of 35.3%), to capture 50.6% market share. In the video conferencing infrastructure market, Polycom witnessed growth of 57.4% over the last year (compared to growth of 53.9%), to capture 48% market share.
What is the opportunity you see for Polycom solutions in India?
The Indian education sector is growing at a tremendous pace, and presents corporates such as ours with great growth opportunities. The government and private institutions are fast realising the need to enhance existing systems and establish a robust educational infrastructure. They are studying new solutions and looking to replicate successful solutions that have been tried elsewhere. And, in this, we can help them.
