OREANDA-NEWS. September 23, 2015. Oracle Academy, Oracle’s flagship philanthropic program that delivers a complete portfolio of computer science learning resources to educational institutions, kicks off the 2015-2016 academic year with new curriculum, junior certification courses, and interactive assets.

Furthering its mission to advance computer science education and make it accessible and engaging to students globally, Oracle Academy now offers free memberships to educational institutions, as well as individuals affiliated with schools and universities, to drive knowledge, innovation, skill development, and diversity in technology fields.

“As a company, Oracle fosters a culture of innovation, excellence and leadership that extends beyond its campus walls and into more than 9,500 schools and universities worldwide,” said Alison Derbenwick Miller, vice president, Oracle Academy. “We know that computing crosses every industry, and this academic year, we’ve harnessed our collective expertise to launch an innovative, interactive and industry-leading expanded portfolio of offerings for computer science majors and non-majors alike, uniquely designed to support pathways through higher education and usher in the next generation of coders, developers and cloud leaders.”

New courses and curricula in Java and database foundations aim to further develop student proficiency in core and in-demand skills, including SQL and Java, which are fundamental to modern computing, including cloud computing, big data, and the Internet of Things. 

“Oracle Academy’s latest Java and database coursework is a huge step forward – an educational game changer – for faculty and students in computer science,” remarked Carol Fletcher, associate director, Texas Regional Collaboratives for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Teaching (TRC), The University of Texas at Austin. “We’ve had tremendous state-wide success implementing Oracle Academy’s teacher training programs. In fact, this has been a primary catalyst in building the computer science pipeline in Texas.”

“The Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) and Oracle Academy released survey findings early this year that revealed access to and understanding of computer science is a huge issue in U.S. high schools,” said Lissa Clayborn, deputy executive director and chief operating officer, CSTA. “We are pleased to see other recent survey findings mirror our results. We applaud Oracle Academy for actively responding to this challenge by innovating new programs that can educate, advance and springboard tomorrow’s visionaries toward success.”

To further enhance members’ experience, Oracle Academy has refreshed its website, providing a vibrant portal for its worldwide community of educators, partners and more than 2.6 million students annually. The website is a collaborative and engaging vehicle for learning through expanded courses, videos, integrated social platforms and resources.