(Burbank, CA ­ June 12, 2002) Woodbury University today announced an innovative partnership with Universidad Francisco Gavidia (UFG) to bring an MBA program to Central America that emphasizes the e-commerce fundamentals necessary to compete in an information-driven, global economy.

The first classes at UFG, a leading Salvadoran university, for the e-commerce MBA program are expected to begin in 2003.

Woodbury faculty, who assisted their UFG counterparts to develop e-commerce curriculum, will travel to San Salvador next summer to teach classes such as e-business fundamentals, Internet marketing and e-business auditing and control. Woodbury has been offering an e-commerce concentration for its graduate and undergraduate students for nearly two years.

The launch of the cooperative partnership will be marked during a 7 p.m. reception today at Woodbury University that will include university, government and Latino business leaders. Dignitaries participating in the event will include Mario Antonio Ruiz Ramirez, president of UFG; Manuel Garcia, international advisor to UFG; and Baltazar Montes, president of Prima Ingenieros S.A. de C.V., the construction company building the high-tech "Edificio Inteligente" (meaning "Smart Building") that will house the new e-commerce MBA program. Woodbury will be represented by Kenneth R. Nielsen, Ed.D., president; Richard King, chairman emeritus and trustee; and Tom Harrington, Ph.D., dean of the School of Business and Management.

Founded in 1884, Woodbury University is one of the oldest institutions of higher education in Southern California. An accredited, nonprofit university, Woodbury is located on a 22-acre residential campus in Burbank and offers bachelor's degrees from the School of Architecture and Design, Business and Management, and Arts and Sciences. Woodbury also offers a master of business administration as well as weekend and evening study for working adults. A San Diego campus was established in 1998 to offer bachelor of architecture degrees.