Role-Based Enterprise SOA Curriculum Builds the Skills of the Next-Generation IT Workforce

MUNICH, Germany - October 17, 2007 - Delivering on its commitment to help companies embrace an enterprise service-oriented architecture (enterprise SOA), SAP AG (NYSE: SAP) today announced an extension of its training and education program to meet the needs of a growing SAP ecosystem workforce that includes customers, partners, universities and communities. This certification program delivers role-based training and skill development, ensuring consistency and quality by validating skills, including those associated with enterprise SOA, of IT professionals working with SAP® solutions. The announcement was made at SAP® TechEd ’07, being held in Munich, Germany, Oct. 17 - 19, 2007, where registrants can become certified at the associate level. SAP TechEd represents one of the first venues to offer certification to enterprise architects as well as professional level certification for other key roles.

Transforming the Business Network
As companies increasingly become connected, business networks emerge as a new source of competitive advantage. This transformation into dynamic and orchestrated business networks, made possible by the flexibility of enterprise SOA, accelerates innovation and productivity. New opportunities emerge as SAP professionals build their skills to fully leverage, service and govern these new architectures. According to the IDC research group, worldwide software spending for SOA-based initiatives is expected to grow to nearly $14 billion by 20111 and SOA-driven professional services engagements to $40.8 billion in the same time period.2 By providing certification, SAP is helping to establish a standard that demonstrates to customers the assurance of quality associated with the SAP brand, while underscoring the combined training and business experience SAP professionals bring to projects.

By introducing a role-based enterprise SOA curriculum, SAP is increasing the value of trained SAP professionals, addressing the training needs specific to the demands of their jobs. Expanding on skills and experience is crucial in the development of enterprise architects, a role that is in relatively short supply but in high demand in the market. This certification program builds on the breadth of skills required for such roles, including an understanding of IT, real-world business processes and operations, as well as identifying the gaps between business innovation and technology to support customers, employees, partners, distributors and other key stakeholders.

“The demand for enterprise architects is growing all the time, as they prove to be a crucial factor for success in complex project environments,” said Ron Tolido, CTO for Continental Europe and Asia Pacific, Capgemini. “Providing SAP certification and training is an important accelerator to both the quality and innovative value of enterprise SOA projects on the SAP platform. As Capgemini enterprise architects are involved in many of these projects, I expect a substantial number of enterprise architects to be trained and certified.”

Expanding Skills and the SAP Ecosystem, Accelerating Innovation
The SAP® Education organization seeks to expand the skills of IT professionals in the SAP ecosystem by developing skills and evolving the criteria for training those working with SAP solutions. One aspect of the program includes the continuous development of SAP Certified Professionals through the SAP Developer Network (SDN) and Business Process Expert communities, where individuals can collaborate with each other, gain access to a circle of peers and build a network to share best-practice approaches, methodologies and lessons learned.

SAP now offers certification at three levels, addressing specialized needs based on skills, education and work experience including:

http://www.sap.com/about/press/press.epx?pressid=8433

Associate certification – Covers the fundamental knowledge requirements for an SAP consultant, ensuring the successful acquisition of broad SAP solution knowledge and skills.
Professional certification – Requires proven project experience, business process knowledge and a more detailed understanding of SAP solutions.
Master certification – Involves demonstrating an expert-level understanding of a specific area of SAP software and the ability to drive innovation and solution optimization through in-depth knowledge and vision. Certification at this level requires broad project experience, comprehensive SAP product knowledge and the ability to create a future IT vision within complex project environments.

The extended global certification program from SAP will gradually be adopted for all of SAP’s solutions over the next 12 months. To support those who undertake training, a personalized Web site has been developed to allow all SAP professionals to check their certification history and options for enhancing their certification status that are in line with their current or future career considerations. This Web site also contains information regarding certification, learning requirements and learning maps for each certification role to facilitate ongoing personal growth and the expansion of valued skills.

“Our curriculum develops the specialized skills and knowledge necessary for SAP professionals to keep pace with the rapidly growing market demand surrounding enterprise SOA skills,” said Bernd-Michael Rumpf, global head of Field Services, SAP. “SAP’s updated certification program provides IT professionals access to knowledge and best practices that help support career development and leverage the power of innovation.”

For more information, please visit www.sap.com/education/certification.

1 IDC, “Worldwide SOA-Driven Software 2007-2011 Forecast: A Changing IT Lifestyle,” Doc # 207080, May 2007.
2 IDC, “Worldwide SOA-Based Services 2007-2011 Forecast and Analysis: A Maturing SOA Market Fuels New and Different Demands for Professional Services,” Doc # 206554, April 2007.

SAP® TechEd ’07 in Las Vegas, Munich, Shanghai and Bangalore
More than 15,000 SAP customers, partners and technical experts are convening at SAP® TechEd ’07 to learn how to transform existing business processes and IT landscapes and take advantage of the power and flexibility of enterprise service-oriented architecture. Celebrating its 11th anniversary, SAP’s largest ecosystem education event of the year offers more than 1,000 hours of lecture-driven and hands-on sessions. SAP TechEd is being held in Las Vegas on October 1-5, Munich on October 17-19, Shanghai on November 6-7 and Bangalore on November 28-30.. For more information, please visit www.sapteched.com.

About SAP
SAP is the world’s leading provider of business software*. More than 41,200 customers in more than 120 countries run SAP® applications—from distinct solutions addressing the needs of small and midsize enterprises to suite offerings for global organizations. Powered by the SAP NetWeaver® platform to drive innovation and enable business change, SAP software helps enterprises of all sizes around the world improve customer relationships, enhance partner collaboration and create efficiencies across their supply chains and business operations. SAP solution portfolios support the unique business processes of more than 25 industries, including high tech, retail, financial services, healthcare and the public sector. With subsidiaries in more than 50 countries, the company is listed on several exchanges, including the Frankfurt stock exchange and NYSE under the symbol “SAP.” (Additional information at )

(*) SAP defines business software as comprising enterprise resource planning and related applications such as supply chain management, customer relationship management, product life-cycle management and supplier relationship management.

Any statements contained in this document that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “project,” “predict,” “should” and “will” and similar expressions as they relate to SAP are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. SAP undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations The factors that could affect SAP’s future financial results are discussed more fully in SAP’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (”SEC”), including SAP’s most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of their dates.

Copyright © 2007 SAP AG. All rights reserved.
SAP, R/3, mySAP, mySAP.com, xApps, xApp, SAP NetWeaver and other SAP products and services mentioned herein as well as their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP AG in Germany and in several other countries all over the world. All other product and service names mentioned are the trademarks of their respective companies. Data contained in this document serve informational purposes only. National product specifications may vary.

http://www.sap.com/about/press/press.epx?pressid=8433