Digitalisation with an open-source enterprise tool

Information systems students are learning how to use an open-source business management tool through a new agreement with Odoo

By the SMU Corporate Communications team

01 Nov 2024

Singapore Management University's (SMU) School of Computing and Information Systems (SCIS) has partnered with Odoo, an open-source business management software company, to provide students free access to Odoo's software, interactive workshops and real-life business cases.

This one-year memorandum of understanding (MOU) aims to develop students' ability to handle Odoo software, allowing them to understand how the business management tool can streamline workflows, enhance team efficiency, and facilitate data-driven decision-making in a business.

Mr Rafael J. Barros, Senior Lecturer of Information Systems and Coordinator for the Digitalisation and Cloud Solutions Track and Product Development Track within the BSc (Information Systems) programme, initiated the partnership with Odoo.

"We introduced Odoo's open-source version to 400 students in our Enterprise Solution Management module earlier this year," Mr Barros explained. "Students used Odoo on Azure cloud virtual machines to explore IT service management processes, including service requests, incidents, and problem management."

Mr Barros noted the growing trend of open-source technologies in enterprise solutions. "While large companies like Microsoft, SAP, Oracle, and Salesforce traditionally dominate this space, open-source platforms like Odoo are gaining traction. This approach has been gaining momentum in the computing community over the past decade, and these solutions offer integrated, real-time management of various business functions, from customer relationships to inventory and human resources."

SMU's collaboration with Odoo represents a significant advancement in the University's commitment to providing students with practical education for meaningful impact.

"By incorporating Odoo's open-source suite of business applications into our curriculum, we're not just bridging the gap between theory and practice. We're empowering our students for the future by teaching them to engage with real-world business processes across multiple domains," said Swapna Gottipati, Associate Professor of Information Systems (Education) and Associate Dean (Undergraduate Education). This partnership aligns with SMU's vision of nurturing future-ready graduates, she added.

Mr Ivan Kwok, Marketing Officer of Odoo Education Program APAC, said, "I am excited to introduce students to our business management software, and demonstrate its practical applications and benefits. Through our programme, students can use Odoo Online in their projects to apply classroom knowledge in real-world scenarios."

In July, SCIS also introduced Odoo to international students who participated in SMU's Global Summer Programme (GSP) course 'Managing Customer Relations with Analytics'. International students took part in an Odoo awareness session as well. The highlight was Odoo's 'scale-up' card business game, which simulates small business management. This practical experience showcased how accessible Odoo can be, even for those without technical expertise.

Said Natalie Ye Australia, Queensland University of Technology, a participant in the GSP: "Scale-Up by Odoo transformed how I think about business. It gave me a feel for what it takes to grow a company and manage the complexities of scaling - and was far more interactive than what a textbook could offer."