Virtual University for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises

The Virtual University for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (VUSME) was a pioneering online education programme launched c.1997 to help small business owners establish themselves on the World Wide Web. A primary goal of VUSME was 'to ensure that development spin-offs from new information technology reach down to the small business community level and not [be] restricted to the major global corporations and governments' (as cited in both sources below). VUSME is no longer in operation.

VUSME is considered by many to have been the first internet-entrepreneurship-focussed set of online education programmes. It allowed individuals to take modular online e-commerce courses developed within a partnered university environment. Courses and case studies offered practical information about relatively new SME activities such as building a Web site and cultivating an online presence for a small company.

The Virtual University for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises no longer has a Web presence.

VUSME was conceived and operated initially as a Canadian and American venture, but drew interest and investment from around the globe. Founded by John F. Bulloch of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, partners and investors included:

• The Confederation College of Applied Arts and Technology (Ontario, Canada)
• The Small Business Advancement National Center (University of Central Arkansas, US)
• The Center for Family Enterprise (George Washington University, US)
• Southern Cross University (New South Wales, Australia)
• Barnsley College (UK)
• The Canadian Federation of Independent Business
• The Japan Small Business Corporation
• The Federation of Finnish Enterprises
• The Forum of Private Business in the UK

More details

For further information see:

• Internet Technologies for Enterprise Development and Learning. Article by VUSME founder John Bulloch, March 1998, http://sloanconsortium.org/publications/magazine/v2n1/bulloch.asp
• The Virtual University for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (VUSME). Article by Claire Kaukinen and Diana Koski, http://www.ulaval.ca/aced2000cade/francais/Actes/Kaukinen-Claire.html

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