Thomson Learning’s business publishing division supports URI’s entrance into distance l earning for MBA program KINGSTON, R.I. — November 16, 2000 — South-Western, a division of Thomson Learning and a leading publisher of business materials for higher education, has donated a significant amount of money to the University of Rhode Island’s College of Business Administration so the College can develop web-based courses for its master of business administration program. The gift will allow the College to compete with other MBA programs offering web-based courses. The gift by Cincinnati-based South-Western will help the college enter distance learning by offering courses in its MBA programs through the Internet. The gift will fund support for web-based course development by faculty, training for faculty to teach courses on-line, technical support for converting these materials into web-based courses, and the use of South-Western and Thomson printed materials. With trends indicating high growth in enrollment in web-based courses within the next few years, South-Western’s initiatives have focused on making its business content available online and in electronic formats to various learning institutions and training facilities. Since 1998, South-Western has stored its content in a digital archive, and now offers over 90 percent of its content from current textbooks and supplements in an electronic form. Additionally, South-Western offers an array of digital products, including CD-ROMs, web support sites, software and distance learning courses. These resources will be part of the support provided to the University of Rhode Island’s distance learning MBA curriculum. “South-Western’s gift to the University of Rhode Island is another example of Thomson Learning’s commitment to providing our customers with the educational information and the learning environment they desire,” said Bob Christie, president and CEO of Thomson Learning. “As new technology allows us to offer a high quality, online learning experience, Thomson Learning is well-positioned to develop and deliver effective and innovative learning solutions that meet the changing needs of our customers.” “This gift will allow us to utilize new technologies to provide MBA courses. Students anywhere in the region or world will be able to register and complete a course from their home or office without coming to campus,” said Edward M. Mazze, dean of the college and the Alfred J. Verrecchia-Hasbro Inc. Leadership chair in business. “In addition to the funds provided, South-Western will provide technical support and access to databases which is worth much more than the dollar amount of the gift.” The courses developed will be a mix of required courses, such as statistics and accounting, as well as electives in cutting-edge areas of business including E-commerce & Internet Economy. “We intend to offer a number of web-based courses by Fall 2001,” Mazze said. About URI’s College of Business Administration The College of Business Administration is a community of students, teachers, and researchers joining together to provide a place for discovery and learning. Students and faculty come from all over the world and all 50 states. The college’s interests are global, but its concern is for the individual. It offers a choice of undergraduate majors in: accounting, finance, financial services, general business administration, international business, management, management science & information systems and marketing. The College offers three master’s programs in business administration. The Kingston MBA program integrates course work, career planning and development, and work experience within a one-calendar-year period. The Providence MBA program is aimed at individuals who want to pursue a degree while maintaining their professional commitments. Concentrations include accounting, finance, international business, management, management science and information systems, and marketing. For more information about the College of Business Administration, please visit www.uri.cba.edu. About South-Western South-Western, a division of Stamford-based Thomson Learning, is an industry-leading content provider of business materials in digital and print formats for the higher education market. South-Western is the market leading publisher in accounting in higher education and owns a majority of the market share in taxation and business law. South-Western’s full line of business products cover: business communications, decision sciences, economics, finance, management and marketing. Additionally, South-Western produces distance-learning, web-based, corporate and retail business education products. For more information about South-Western, visit www.swcollege.com. Thomson Learning is among the world’s largest providers of lifelong learning information. With headquarters in Stamford, Conn., and multiple offices worldwide, Thomson Learning is a division of The Thomson Corporation. The Thomson Corporation is one of the world’s leading information companies. For more information, visit www.thomson.com. For Information: Edward M. Mazze, 401-874-2337, Carolyn Stendahl, South Western 513-527-6330, Dave Lavallee, 401-874-2116