All Webster University students and faculty will have full access to Adobe Creative Cloud, giving them the resources they need to build the skills that are critical for students’ future career success 

Webster Groves, MO. — Adobe and Webster University have reached an agreement to provide Adobe Creative Cloud (Adobe CC) to every student, faculty member and employee across all of Webster’s U.S. and international campuses as well as its online platforms. Students will be able to use Adobe CC to create persuasive and compelling digital content, develop new critical thinking skills and share work with fellow students – making Webster a leader in providing access to cutting-edge educational tools.

Adobe and Webster previously signed an agreement in August 2016 to rollout Adobe CC applications and services in stages over a three-year period. The new agreement accelerates that timeline, providing full access to all students and faculty today. With global campuses in nine countries and more than 60 locations in the United States, the agreement will enable a new level of content creation, creativity and collaboration across disciplines and curricula.

Under the terms of the agreement, faculty will also receive Adobe CC for free, helping these educators create compelling lectures and develop new ways for students to develop their creativity, including:

• Empowering students to acquire new digital literacy and storytelling skills, giving them the tools they need to make their mark on the world.
• Assigning students projects such as creating electronic portfolios, infographics, websites, podcasts, videos and more because no matter the area of study, every student needs to be a digital storyteller.
• Encouraging students to think creatively and open their minds to creative expression so they can turn their classroom ideas into college and career opportunities.
• Giving students access to every Adobe CC application that will enable them to create digitally compelling work utilizing video, audio, imagery and more on all of their desktop, labs and mobile devices.

Webster has instituted a faculty user group to ensure Adobe CC is being integrated across campus. A new student user group is also expected to start later this year that will provide resources and help students gain access to the software. These user groups will ensure that world-class design tools like Photoshop, InDesign and Illustrator are integrated into classroom activities.

“Students in the School of Communications have already gained from this partnership, with access to Adobe Creative Cloud and the new courses and applications Webster has been able to offer,” said Eric Rothenbuhler, dean of Webster’s School of Communications. “These days we are all digital storytellers and communicators, so we are excited that the next step in this partnership will promote digital media literacy across the curriculum, involving the whole university, ensuring all Webster’s students will have access to these tools and the skills to use them well.”  

"Adobe and Webster are committed to enhancing students’ digital skills that will enrich their academic experience and better prepare them for the future workforce,” said Karen McCavitt, group manager, Worldwide Marketing for Education Enterprise at Adobe. “Adobe Creative Cloud empowers students to express themselves in new and creative ways, develop independent learning behaviors and collaborate with diverse teams. Technologies like Adobe Creative Cloud can give students a competitive advantage for jobs that are in high demand today and better prepare them for careers that do not even exist yet.”

Adobe Creative Cloud and other resources for teaching digital literacy in higher education can be found on Adobe’s education-specific website.