Industry collaboration: a practical approach for ERP education

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems are large information systems that make possible the efficient flow of information between all functions within a business. ERP sales represent an important component of business spending in information systems infrastructure. Implementing an ERP system is a costly and time-consuming task and these costs are due mainly to the short supply of professionals with ERP skills. ERP vendors, such as SAP, have formed university alliances in an attempt to address this skills shortage. Many of these universities are grasping how best to incorporate ERP systems into their curriculum. This paper discusses the use of industry-based projects in curriculum and the benefits they can provide to industry, university and students.