SAN RAFAEL, Calif., Apr 4, 2002 (BUSINESS WIRE) --

Curriculum at Leading Engineering University Includes the Latest 3D Mechanical Design Technology

Autodesk, Inc. (Nasdaq:ADSK), the world's leading design software and digital content company, today announced that the engineering department at Texas A&M is integrating Autodesk Inventor software into its curriculum. This integration allows the university to not only train its students on the latest in 3D mechanical design technology, but also helps them land critical jobs and internships as they begin their careers. With Autodesk Inventor technology's popularity among leading engineering and manufacturing firms, companies are looking to leading engineering schools such as Texas A&M to provide the next generation of design professionals who are trained on Autodesk software. Autodesk recently announced that the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) is also incorporating Autodesk Inventor software into its curriculum.

Texas A&M has one of the nation's top engineering programs. With an undergraduate enrollment of nearly 7,000 students, it is also the nation's largest. The college of engineering has long recognized the importance of 3D solid modeling and, using Autodesk Inventor, recently increased the focus on 3D at the freshman and sophomore levels.

According to Jim Wilson, Texas A&M Microcomputer Specialist, "AutoCAD and Autodesk Inventor have a much easier learning curve than other software on the market, which means that less time is spent teaching the tool and more time is spent on the academics. As a result, our students can focus on actually using the software they are likely to see when they become practicing engineers."

"In today's economy, competition for jobs is especially difficult. Students entering the market with Autodesk Inventor experience have a distinct advantage over those learning other software packages," said Robert Kross, vice president of the Manufacturing Division at Autodesk. "With Autodesk Inventor they can design solid models faster and more accurately -- an asset for any employer."

About Autodesk

Founded in 1982, Autodesk, Inc., is the world's leading design and digital media creation, management, and distribution company. The company serves a diverse portfolio of markets, including building design, geographic information systems, manufacturing, digital media, and wireless data services. By delivering tools that foster innovation and creativity, Autodesk helps customers throughout the value chain leverage digital design data to work better, faster, and smarter. For more information about the company, see www.autodesk.com.

Autodesk, AutoCAD, and Autodesk Inventor are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., in the United States and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders.

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