Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication has selected Narrowstep Inc. to provide the Internet TV component of its curriculum. The college will integrate training on telvOS (Narrowstep's Television Operating System) as a key component of several undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses.

Meanwhile, two new Internet TV channels will be run by Ravensbourne broadcast students. The new channels will allow Ravensbourne students to make video content produced at the college available for public viewing through their Ravensbourne TV channel, while content only available to students would be accessed through the student channel, RaveOnAir.

Narrowstep will play an integral role in helping to support these channels. Although the channels will eventually be maintained almost entirely by Ravensbourne students, Narrowstep will be teaming up with the college's faculty and students, to train them on telvOS and help to integrate the system into the broadcasting curriculum. This will allow the students to gain an in-depth understanding of the telvOS system through classroom study, and then apply what they've learned in a real world setting by running their own channels.

"Now broadcast students at Ravensbourne will have a unique opportunity to gain hands on experience with Internet TV channel development and management," said Iolo Jones, Founder of Narrowstep. "It's significant that such a leading academic institution has adopted the telvOS platform alongside technologies from companies such as Sony and Avid, and we expect other media schools to follow."

This is among the first time anywhere in the world that Internet TV management and production has been added to formal academic courses. Course graduates are already being offered employment opportunities with Narrowstep and the company's clients, demonstrating the dynamic growth in the IPTV industry.

"The world of broadcasting is changing and the traditional model of delivery through transmission is rapidly expanding out into the Internet," said Dr. Freddie Gaffney, Broadcast Technology Course Leader of Ravensbourne College. "As a forward thinking establishment, we must prepare our students for the future, whatever shape it may take. This alliance with Narrowstep is the first step in bringing Ravensbourne to the next generation of content delivery."

IPTV channels are a growing proposition in many countries, including the UK and Europe, and are finding markets hungry for the new platform. Narrowstep's telvOS system provides the backbone for TV over the Internet for 180+ channels, representing unique video content ranging from entertainment, tourism, sports and now, education.