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System z

Academic Initiative program

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Companies worldwide rely on the leading-edge IBM System z platform.

Overview

The IBM Academic Initiative System z program seeks to ensure that the next generation of mainframe experts will be available to help more companies and organizations leverage the superior security, availability, scalability, and efficiency of the mainframe. The demand for IT skills is growing, especially for students who have mainframe or enterprise computing skills.

Enterprise Computing: Why you should teach it and your students should learn about it

IBM continues to modernize and simplify the mainframe platform, while partnering with IBM customers, business partners and academia from around the world to build more of the skills that industry demands. There has never been a better time to teach your students about large systems.


Program benefits

The System z program provides significant benefits to everyone who participates.

Learn the basics

System z content can easily be integrated into any curriculum at your school, for example: Computer Science, School of Business, or Information Systems programs. Students exposed to Enterprise Systems, and the value and role they play within the world's IT ecosystem, are in high demand by our customers.

System z textbooks

This series of textbooks was designed to introduce students to mainframes and help prepare them for a career in large systems computing. They can help you and your students with many fundamental concepts.

We have System z course materials (slides, labs, quizzes) in the Courseware Repository that fully support and complement these textbooks.


Programming and application development on System z

Learn about Rational Developer for System z, a common workbench and an integrated set of tools that speeds the development of traditional mainframe, Web and composite applications.

If you are teaching programming courses on System z, this resource can also help:

Get trained

Take advantage of our no-charge or discounted training opportunities and prepare yourself for teaching about System z and enterprise computing topics.

Train online


Training at regional locations


Certification and mastery tests

IBM System z Mastery Test

Available to students and professors at testing centers worldwide!


IBM System z Job Board

Connecting the mainframe community with students and experienced professionals seeking System z job opportunities

Call for entries

For European students, GUIDE SHARE EUROPE is accepting entries for its Academic Award for Excellence.

Membership

Schools all around the globe are teaching mainframe skills


Customize and print these flyers to advertise your courses


Additional resources