CampusM keeps students informed

A new mobile application will enable students to receive university information direct to their mobile phone.

Set to be launched in October 2009 at Sheffield University, the so-called campusM application will allow students to access information about upcoming events, view campus maps as well as have their own up-to-date timetable.

The application, developed by oMbiel, will also feature a friend locator to help users meet up with other students, and users will also be able to browse their library records and look up faculty, staff members or student contacts from the university directory. Students will also be able to use the application to receive the latest news and alerts.

Sheffield will be the first of a group of universities in the UK to roll out campusM to students, who will be able to download the application for free from the university's online portal.

For the launch, campusM will be available on the iPhone and iPod touch, but by the end of the year the application will be compatible with other mobile phones, including those from BlackBerry, HTC, LG, Motorola, Nokia, Palm, Samsung, Sanyo and Sony Ericsson.

Dr Christine Sexton, director of Sheffield University's Corporate Information and Computing Services, said: 'We had to find a way to make our services more accessible to meet the needs of our students. CampusM will ultimately save students time, keep them better informed and make communicating with staff and other students a lot easier.'