Xinet, the digital asset system solution providers, hosted a meeting of academic representatives from the California Polytechnic Institute and Rochester Institute of Technology recently. Both institutes are users of the Xinet Full Press and Web Native system and apply it to support advanced academic programs in print media/graphic communication. Participants included Hal Hinderliter, Director, CalPoly Graphic Communication Institute, Michael Blum, Cal Poly Graphic Communication Professor, Michael Riordan, RIT Assistant Professor, Erich Lehman, RIT Prepress Facilities Coordinator, Frank Romano, RIT Professor Emeritus, and Eric Rewitzer, president of IO Integration, a leading Xinet system integrator in North America. As printing and graphic communication programs expand into digital asset management, there is a need for students to experience real-world solutions and server-based tools for collaboration and data management. Both institutes are committed to educational programs that reflect industry trends and practices. Xinet provided systems to both universities that are also used by printers, publishers, ad agencies, and catalog producers to manage a multitude of images, artwork, and page files. Courses at CalPoly and RIT include Prepress, Prepress Workflows, Digital Asset Management, Workflow 1 and 2, Database Publishing, New Media team projects, and grad-level Cross Media Workflow. "I want my students to solve problems when they enter the workforce," said Erich Lehman, "and finding and managing media assets is an activity that is growing. Digital Asset Managemnt is now mainstream." The full-day session held at CalPoly focused on curricular initiatives. "Students must have some idea that this type of solution exists," said Eric Rewitzer, "and understand how it is applied in creative and production environments. Digital asset management is a function that must integrate with prepress systems, proofing alternatives, and other workflow components." "Printers have moved to digital asset management solutions in order to offer new value-added services," said Michael Riordan. "They allow their customers to manage digital assets and work collaboratively across the Internet." This ability will become more important as virtual proofing advances in the publication, catalog, and commercial printing industries. The Full Press server maintains all files in virtually any format. It generates FPO and proxy images to allow faster communication. The files, whether images or PostScript or PDF, or other formats may then be integrated into other systems for trapping, color management, preflighting, or other actions. Web Native Portal with its Venture database is the branded window into the system and lets any browser securely view or move files and is customizable to the end-users's needs. "No workflow step is an island," said Hal Hinderliter. "and all steps become the workflow. Xinet is an important adjunct to print- and web-based publishing and eventually JDF will help to integrate all systems and functions.. DAM will continue to be an essential part of all workflows." "Xinet should be applauded. They provided advanced tools to academia and also support those tools through training and educational symposia," said Frank Romano. "No school can afford the tools of the modern printing industry and there must be a partnership between industry and academia in order to educate the workforce of the future. Xinet is a good model for that relationship." The meeting resulted in many new ideas on how digital asset management and pre-media workflows can be integrated into educational curricula. It was agreed that DAM is an essential subject to teach because it reflects a definable trend within the printing and publishing industries. The group agreed that every kind of file is an asset that must be stored, archived, tracked, converted, modified, and managed. Data-driven print and Web publishing products are now being automatically generated from database information with XML and metadata.