ExamTime NI Develops New Online Resource

A new online resource to help students study and prepare for exams has been developed by ExamTime NI Ltd as part of a £500,000 investment with support from Invest Northern Ireland.

The ExamTime.com website, which has been launched in beta version, allows students and teachers to build personalised learning environments. Students can create tools and study aids, which help them to get the best return from their study time.

ExamTime NI was established in Belfast in 2011 as a research and development facility for Software Asset Management Ireland Ltd, a Dublin based software development company.

The company approached Invest NI for support to help it develop the beta version of the product to increase functionality and include additional features such as timetabling, study planners, social features, embedded content and personalised tools.

Invest NI offered almost £170,000 of support, part funded by the European Regional Development Fund, towards the total research and development cost of over £560,000.

Carol Keery, Invest NI's Director of Research and Development, said: "This new website aims to help students and teachers to incorporate best-in-class techniques into their learning process and therefore has global potential. It is the first proprietary product that the company has developed and brings innovation and cutting-edge technology to the education sector.

"The company chose to locate their research and development facility here as it recognised the skills available to them in Northern Ireland. Invest NI will continue to work with ExamTime to help it fully realise the potential of this online product."

Dualta Moore, founder of ExamTime.com, commented: “We are excited about the opportunities that technology can bring to the education space. The feedback received to date on our beta version, which has been launched in over 60 countries worldwide, has been hugely positive.

"The site was first launched in an English language version but already versions have been added in Spanish and Portuguese. The tools on the site, once translated, are universal and are designed to help any student to get a better outcome whether they are in Belfast or Barcelona, Buenos Aires or Ballygawley. Most important for hard-pressed students and even harder pressed parents, the website is completely free to use.

"Our team in Belfast will be responsible for creating next generation learning applications that will benefit both students and teachers across the globe. Belfast provides a great base for ExamTime.com in that the development resource pool is very impressive. We have already started building the team of 15 across the areas of software development, user experience design and testing. The quality of the staff assembled so far is exceptional."

(CD/MH)