LPI Announces Two New Affiliates in France and UK
(Toronto, Canada: December 7, 2004) The Linux Professional Institute (LPI), the premier Linux certification organization worldwide (http://www.lpi.org/), announced today the signing of two new affiliates: Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF) and OpenForum Europe (OFE).
AUF with over 500 French-speaking universities and research institutions in its network around the world, has formed LPI-Francophonie. This newest affiliation offers the Linux Professional Institute (LPI) a significant partnership in reaching French-speaking IT professionals.
French language LPI certification exams will now be promoted by LPI-Francophonie in countries where AUF partner universities have established Centres for Linux, Open and Free Software Development (C3LD). With these Centres, LPI-Francophonie will ensure the growing adoption of the LPI certification exams for the French-speaking Linux professional.
Didier Oillo, General Manager for ICT Programs at AUF, explained: "With LPI-Francophonie affiliation, AUF will endeavour to answer the needs of French-speaking universities for qualified personnel in Linux, and C3LDs will now offer high-quality Linux Certification opportunities to french-speaking university staff and to professionals, globally, through our affiliation with LPI, as LPI-Francophonie, and our world-wide network of resources."
The first international LPI-Francophonie certification session will take place in Dakar-Senegal, at the Regional Bureau of AUF For Africa, from December 6-10, 2004, and will bring together C3LD leaders and partners from Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Morocco, Mali and Senegal.
In the United Kingdom, OpenForum Europe (OFE) is the Linux Professional Institute's (LPI) new affiliate. As LPI-UK, they will promote LPI testing and certification programs within the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.
Evan Leibovitch, President of LPI, said: "OpenForum Europe is passionate about developing the use of Open Source in the UK. They recognize that the promotion of a high quality skills standard such as LPI certification is essential to that goal."
Graham Taylor, Director of OpenForum Europe expressed his determination to uphold the policies and principles of LPI: "In some quarters there is the perception that there is a shortage of skills in OSS and Linux which is hindering the adoption of OSS: this is the first of a programme of announcements related to professional skills development from OFE which will ensure this perception remains short-lived."
Open Forum Europe, as LPI-UK, recently announced that its first LPI Approved Training Partner (LATP) is the ITS Group, with training centres located in Bristol and Edinburgh. LPI-UK will be working closely with LPI and the ITS Group in the delivery of this programme. Together they hope the LPI exams will bring a much-needed cohesive accreditation framework for professionals and employers in the UK Linux community.
LPI's LATP program is designed to recognize schools and training centers which have met LPI criteria. The LATP program is open to all qualified participants: those using LPI approved training materials (LATM), delivered by qualified instructors and upholding a common Code of Ethics. For more information on the ITS Group see: http://www.itservices.org.uk
LPI's certification program is delivered worldwide in multiple languages with the support of employers, vendors and trainers. It has delivered over 60,000 Level One and Level Two certification exams globally since the program's inception.
LPI supports affiliate networks on six continents worldwide including Australia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Germany, Jamaica, Japan, United States, France, the UK and South Africa.
For more information please visit www.lpi.org, www.auf.org or www.openforumeurope.org
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About Linux Professional Institute:
The Linux Professional Institute (LPI) is the global standard in Linux certification. LPI develops professional certification for the Linux operating system that is trusted, accessible and independent. Established as an international non-profit organization in 1999 by the Linux community, LPI's internationally-recognized certification programs has earned the respect of vendors, employers and administrators. LPI's multi-level program of exams are available in seven languages, and are administered globally through Pearson VUE and Prometric testing centers. LPI's activities involve hundreds of volunteers and professionals throughout the world in many different capacities, and the group encourages active public involvement through mailing lists and its website at www.lpi.org. LPI's major financial sponsors are Platinum Sponsors IBM (NYSE:IBM), Maxspeed, SGI (NYSE:SGI), SuSE Linux AG and TurboLinux as well as Gold Sponsors Novell, Inc. (Nasdaq: NOVL), Hewlett-Packard (NYSE:HWP), Wave Technologies and Linux Magazine.
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Scott Lamberton Director of Community Relations Linux Professional Institute Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Web: http://www.lpi.org Telephone: +1-416-666-1574
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