Missed class? There's an app for that

IT's the hi-tech solution which means soon there will be no excuse for missing lectures.

Edinburgh University is to introduce an application for smartphones to help students keep on top of their affairs.

The 80,000 Mobile Campus app project will allow students remote access to course information and timetables.

The university has tendered the contract for the app, which it aims to roll out in January, as part of a three-year pilot.

It has said that the Mobile Campus app should work withApple, Blackberry, Nokia and HTC models, and be able to support 40,000 users.

Liza Zamboglou, deputy business manager for the mobile campus project, said that a survey at the university's eLearning@ed conference had shown students' overwhelming support for the system.

She said: "The most popular mobile functionality requested by students was access to their course information and timetables.

"The type of information students could access through a Mobile Campus include; alerts and notifications about assignments, library books, timetable changes, directions to lecture theatres, and much more.

"With a budget of 80,000 over three years, the pilot service will help the university understand this new technology whilst responding to how students work in this modern digital age."

She added: "It is essential for the university to keep pace with the commercial technology that our students expect to use. The app will be free for the students to use."

Following on from a similar application at Dundee University, the app will also include maps of the university campuses to help new students to find their way to lecture theatres.

It will also allow lecturers to update their students about last-minute timetable changes, assignments, and library books.

Liz Rawlings, president of Edinburgh University Students' Association, said: "The university's new app will be really useful for both current and prospective students.

"Alerts about class time changes and when assignments are ready will save valuable studying time and allow students to access university services on the move.

"The app will also give prospective students a chance to have a look around the facilities virtually and make sure that, if they do come to the university they don't miss crucial first lectures finding their way around campus."

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