“Apple Inc. is hiring the dean of Yale University’s business school to start a new project that it calls Apple University,” Yukari Iwatani Kane reports for The Wall Street Journal.
“The Cupertino, Calif., company said Joel Podolny, the dean of the Yale School of Management will join Apple as vice president and dean of Apple University, but declined to provide details about the university or the position,” Kane reports. “Mr. Podolny will be stepping down as dean on Nov. 1, but will stay at Yale until the end of the year, a Yale spokesman said. She said Mr. Podolny will take up his new position in early 2009.”
“Corporate universities, which typically offer classes to employees, are a growing trend… Pixar Animation Studios — whose largest shareholder was Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs before being sold to Walt Disney Co. in 2006 — also has a program that it calls Pixar University, at which it conducts three-month long classes for new and existing animators,” Kane reports.
Full article here.
I wonder what kind of courses this “Apple University” will offer. Sounds interesting…
Can I upload my transcript to Apple U?
What’s the mascot?
Do they offer scholarships for fencing?
Will the Yale dean set up an online Morry’s for drinks and discussions? Can I purchase the Wiffenpoof performances for 99 cents per song?
Any good pizza establishments near the Apple U.?
How do I become an Apple U. professor? I’m interested!
The term “university” seems a bit grandiose when applied to a “school” with but a single educational course, or threads of courses. Especially if that program is less than “four years” long for your typical student. Apple’s offering of “iTunes U” is somewhat different in that you can study materials from multiple brick & mortar universities every day of the week for years on end – even if iTunes itself does not offer any “threads”. If Apple is planning on offering work-related “education” and call it a “university” … I’ve been to a university, and that isn’t “it”. But, love iTunes U!
There is a distinct possibility that “Apple University” will not teach anything, but will market Macs, iPods, iPhones and their associated stores to higher education.
I read some where that they will focus on Xcode.
I want to learn how to sew, quilt, and cross stitch.
If Apple is hiring a high-ranking person from well-established academia, it would only make sense that the plan for a project called “Apple University” would be to build some sort of, well, university.
It might be some combination of courses related to Apple’s professional software and Mac OS, but with more formalised structure.
It certainly is intriguing.
I applied for the job. Guess I didn’t get the job!
Really guys? C’mon, this is easy. Apple U will be available to teach employees, have training courses, etc. Some will be simple corporate entry-level things, some will be higher-up management courses. More like seminars or short, 2-3 week interim sessions.
He’s the Dean at Yale’s business school. As a Dean, it doesn’t get much better. You gotta try something new and different! Pay probably will be nice, too.
Lots of companies do this — Caterpillar U comes to mind. It’s not a new concept!
How about a program that will provide a better environment (AKA MSDN done right for OS X) targeted to Micro$oft developers, Developers, DEVELOPERS…
The last checkbox Apple needs to overcome the push-back from Corporate America.
Apple University could certainly teach design basics to some (I mean “all”) phone and computer manufacturers…
Jeff is right, there are many companies that do this type of “University”. My wife’s company does it and my company is planning on starting one. I feel quite certain that this “University” will be for employee training and not for the general public.
However, it would be nice to be able to take “classes” from Apple or at least get access to material that they have written on certain products/programming/etc. that Apple offer . . . or do they already offer up something of the like?
Is this anything to do with the expansion of iTunes U? Could they be planning on building a virtual all-discipline University?
McDonalds has had Hamburger University for years. I wonder if Apple will accept my transfer credits.
Will Apple U. finally provide an easily accessible place to get the various Apple certifications, especially the more esoteric ones, like XSan? I get really weary of having to do overnights to take certification test, and I can’t even find a place, anywhere, where I can take the XSan certification.
Stuart writes, “Is this anything to do with the expansion of iTunes U? Could they be planning on building a virtual all-discipline University?”
That’s certainly an intriguing possibility. Deans at schools like Yale are very well paid. So one must assume Jobs offered him a challenge he couldn’t refuse – changing the way we learn, for example – rather than just a pile of cash to run in-house training.
Apple University is a fantastic idea. To start with, Apple Inc. needs to train its employees and inculcate the corporate culture, just as any large corporation needs to do. There are unique aspects of their businesses, and new employees, for example, need to be oriented. In all probability, the first phase of the project would be to serve Apple’s internal needs. However, the roadmap for the project could include replacing the brick and mortar concept of public education and making online education a reality for those who find public school a life-threatening experience in exchange for an inadequate level of education. This project is the fourth leg in addition to selling computers, ipods and iPhones. It could be bigger than all of them.
This would be a smart move for a company planning for the exit of its influential CEO. As many will recall, middle management at Apple ran rampant in the 90’s prior to Jobs’ return. Surely, his ultimate departure will create a vaccuum internally. Apple would be wise to address that issue now and give managers the tools and confidence they will need to continue in his absence.
My point (above) is that Steve’s replacement will no doubt be constantly living under a microscope, both externally and internally. Capable as they might be, Apple could collapse under it’s own weight if middle management isn’t prepared for the change.
I went to Yale and I also worked for an Apple shop in the area around New Haven. Yale is one of Apple’s largest business/education accounts. It has had a long standing relationship and it is no surprise that the dean was selected from this university.
Dean Vernon Wormer: “Zero point two… Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, son. Mr. Hoover, president of Delta house? One point six; four C’s and an F. A fine example you set! Daniel Simpson Day… HAS no grade point average. All courses incomplete. Mr. Blu – MR. BLUTARSKY… ZERO POINT ZERO.”
“My point (above) is that Steve’s replacement will no doubt be constantly living under a microscope . . .”
That sucks. His pores are going to look HUGE! So, does he have to be small enough fit on a slide?
Yeah,, go there and get a MBA in killing your customer base as Apple seems to be doing, according to the head IT guy at work, weighing whether or not to buy a couple of hundred macs. His opinion on apple and the new macbook and the pricing of the older white macbook-> ‘it’s the early 90’s all over again, where apple didn’t give a f**k about its customers’ Look at the cost of the vga plug-in. It’s ridiculous, considering it came free with the older white macbook.
If “Apple University” is hiring a high-ranking person Joel Podolny from well-established academia, it would be very beneficial to “Apple University”. After the joining of Joel Podolny the name and fame of “Apple University” will be up to mark in all over the world. Apple University is a fantastic idea to train the employees and inculcate the corporate culture, just as any large corporation needs to do. There are unique aspects of their businesses, and new employees. So I think Joel Podolny will maintain top rank of the “Apple University”.
Jeremy
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Apple is really doing a great job!!! It provides us various gadgets which are obliging us in different ways. Suppose a man desires a massive home and it is packed with Apple accessories. Sounds awesome!!!
Shelly Smith
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