PRINCETON JUNCTION, N.J., Aug. 4, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Millions of smart cards are in use today in Latin America and the Caribbean in EMV chip cards, mobile payments, e-passports, smart transit fare cards, secure government, healthcare, enterprise IDs and more. To foster the technology's growth and successful smart card-related careers in the region, the Smart Card Alliance Latin America (SCALA) has signed a five-year agreement with Florida State University (FSU)–Panama for the development of an industry "Integrated Circuit Card (ICC) Center of Excellence." The Center will expand smart card-based education programs in Latin America and the Caribbean.
"Demand is growing for smart card technology for its ability to enable secure and convenient transactions across a wide variety of markets. We are looking forward to working with educational leader FSU–Panama to provide the professional development resources necessary for organizations to meet demand and create new, innovative applications for the technology," said Edgar Betts, director of SCALA.
Through this agreement, SCALA and FSU–Panama will create a comprehensive Center of Excellence to train and certify existing and new executives in the industry on smart card technology and its applications in financial, healthcare, identity, security, transportation and telecommunications industries. The Center will also aim to develop FSU–Panama students into new industry professionals through SCALA educational programs and internships at smart card-related companies. Other planned deliverables include industry reports and smart card training materials for other educational institutions.
"While smart card technology plays an important role in many industries in the region, such as government identity programs and payments, information and professional training on the technology are limited," said Dr. Carlos Langoni, rector of FSU–Panama. "By working with SCALA on the Center of Excellence, our goal is develop students' smart card expertise and enable current and future executives to have successful careers in smart card-related industries."
This agreement expands SCALA's ongoing efforts to provide essential education to promote smart card technology throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. For more information the partnership, please visit http://www.sca-la.org/scala-and-fsu-panama-create-comprehensive-center-of-excellence/. For information on SCALA, visit www.sca-la.org.
About the Smart Card Alliance Latin America (SCALA)
The Smart Card Alliance Latin America (SCALA) is a chapter organization of the Smart Card Alliance working to stimulate the use, understanding, interoperability, convergence, adoption and widespread innovation of applications of smart card technology in Latin America and Caribbean. SCALA achieves its goals through the use of specific projects such as: tri-lingual education programs, market research, advocacy, white papers, industry relations and open forums to keep Latin American chapter member organizations connected to industry leaders and innovative thought.
About the Smart Card Alliance
The Smart Card Alliance is a not-for-profit, multi-industry association working to stimulate the understanding, adoption, use and widespread application of smart card technology.
Through specific projects such as education programs, market research, advocacy, industry relations and open forums, the Alliance keeps its members connected to industry leaders and innovative thought. The Alliance is the single industry voice for smart cards, leading industry discussion on the impact and value of smart cards in the U.S., Latin America and the Caribbean. For more information please visit http://www.smartcardalliance.org.