CAPDM Ltd was incorporated on the 11th October 1996 by Martin Smith, Duncan Hothersall, Richard Kirby and Ken Currie. We are based in Edinburgh, UK.
The goal of the founders was to create a company that would apply the new international SGML/XML information standards, and internet and electronic publishing technologies, to improve the quality of materials provision in education.
The company name came from a generic model of information publishing, the CAPDM Model, that emerged in the late 1980s to address the technical manual publishing needs of aircraft companies and automotive manufacturers.
During its early years, the company was fortunate to be heavily involved in the development and growth of the highly successful distance learning MBA programme at Edinburgh Business School, which today is the largest non-tutored online distance learning MBA programme in the world.
A few of our company development highlights have been:
2024
Mac Keith Press
completed and launched an extensive and highly interactive new Child Development and Disability Essentials e-learning programme endorsed by the British Academy of Childhood Disability, with 18 modules and 50+ hours of study.
2023
Pearson
renewed support contract for a range of UK-based services for higher education, and added new Spanish language services to existing contract.
University of London Worldwide
continued to provide production systems to underpin the management of learning content across a range of major programmes.
2022
UK G-Cloud 13 Awards
awarded Crown Commercial Service Framework Contract for two services in Moodle Service Hosting and XML Course Production – Cloud Based
Mac Keith Press
provided ongoing delivery support for EACCME® accredited courses in Childhood Neurology serving 38 countries
University of West of Scotland
provided ongoing MBA program maintenance and online delivery support for Online World programme
2021
University of Aberdeen
helped university to develop and launch a new online Masters in Energy Economics and Finance
Erasmus+ R&D
“REACTI-VET” – completed EU partnership project contribution and work to provide effective and necessary training and support for Vocational Education Teachers in Europe
University of St Andrews
online hosting of “Introduction to Statistics” workshop for the Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling
Mac Keith Press
launched two EACCME® accredited courses in Childhood Neurology
University of West of Scotland
provided ongoing MBA program maintenance and online delivery support for Online World programme and updated online courses for Health team
2020
University of St Andrews
development of online course for the Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling
University of West of Scotland
development of new online CPD course delivery solution
2019
University of Aberdeen
helped university to launch new online Diploma in Petroleum Engineering, Economics and Finance
University of London International Programmes
new work to improve the generation of more accessible distance learning course materials
Mac Keith Press
the development of innovative online learning for highly specialist medical training courses
Simply Academy
developed new Diploma for Financial Advisers (DipFA®) course in Financial Services Regulation Ethics
Erasmus+ Agriteach 4.0 project
completed three year EU development partnership work for the Agriteach 4.0 project – Connecting VET Teachers to Agriculture
2018
Erasmus+ R&D
“REACTI-VET” – new EU partnership project approved for implementation over next 30 months
Simply Academy
Renewed CeMAP and CMACert programmes, developed new CeRER programme and migrated learning delivery platform to Moodle 3.5
University of Aberdeen
delivered first courses for proof-of-concept project in support of new online postgraduate programme delivery capability for the Business School to own and operate. Won public tender to develop 20 more online courses for the University
University of West of Scotland
renewed annual program maintenance and online delivery service agreement for MBA Online World programme and developed new leadership online course for Health team
2017
Erasmus+ vocational training project
new European project partnership “Connecting VET Teachers to Agriculture 4.0” accepted for funding with 98/100 content assessment
Simply Academy
renewed CeMAP and CMACert programmes
University of London International Programmes
setup new Courseworker application service for the team to use for course development. Co-development of new Queen-Mary MBA program and new PGCert program
University of Aberdeen
awarded public tender for a proof-of-concept project to host and support a new online postgraduate programme delivery platform for the Business School.
2016
University of London International Programmes
delivery of ground-breaking master’s program, that enables students to gain an MSc degree and ACCA professional accountancy qualification at the same time
University of West of Scotland
renewed program maintenance and online delivery service agreement for their online MBA Program
2015
University of London International Programmes
new online distance learning program development contract
Simply Academy
new online distance learning program development contract
Chartered Institute of Internal Auditors
new online distance learning program development contract
Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy
new online distance learning program development contract
OpenQAsS and Flip-IT!
began work on 3-year EU funded Erasmus+ projects
2014
British Council
won public tender for continued development/maintenance and environment delivery of successful Connecting Classrooms professional development environment. This work included single source mastering and management, and ongoing Moodle service support for courses being delivered to 15,000+ users worldwide in English, Bangala and Chinese.
University of West of Scotland
development of two new online MBA and Certificate in Higher Education programmes
Chartered Institute of Internal Auditors
new programme development
The Policy Practice
new programme development
StudyGroup
new production work
OpenQAsS Erasmus+ project
European project partnership
2013
British Council
production of 6 new courses in Bangala for the Connecting Classrooms international schools programme and XML course domain
University of Iceland
development of a swim-science MOOC
Brunel University
single-source published new online course
Dundee University
single-source published new online Masters course for Medical School
University West of Scotland
single-source published new online course in Health and Fitness
TENG-SPORTS
third European production partnership for a Leonardo da Vinci funded project
Opus Learning Ltd.
launch of our own online distance learning B2B College and approved Scottish Qualifications Authority Study Centre
2012
Courseworker
re-launch of our application service on Amazon EC2 Cloud platform
Edinburgh Napier University
launch of two new online global Masters programmes
2011
Liverpool John Moores University
delivery of three new Masters programmes
Edinburgh Napier University partnership to develop and market two more Masters level programs
EdICT Training
working to develop a new Diploma in ICT for Teachers
SME 2.0
second European production partnership for a Leonardo da Vinci funded project
2010
Chartered Institute of Internal Auditors UK
development of Advanced Diploma program for online delivery
British Council
online workshops for the Global Schools Partnership program
University of Edinburgh
three new online Certificate modules in Sports Science
2009
University College of Estate Management
licensed “Courseworker” XML production environment for course production
Liverpool John Moores University
won public tender for 150K contract to develop three new Masters programs
2008
The London Instiute of Banking and Finance (ifs University College)
licensed first Courseworker XML production environment
TIES (Iceland) and TENEGEN (Hungary)
European course production partnerships for the Leonardo da Vinci projects
2007
British Council
development of on-line workshop environment for Global Schools Partnership program using our Digital Workbook concept to implement a simple, flexible and highly-innovative, eportfolio solution for teachers around the World.
2006
£10 million
helped our customers achieve more than £10 million of global education business in one year
2005
UK Schools
developed and delivered a national program in finance for UK schools
2004
West Lothian Council
development of accredited eLearning course units for new Business Learning Network portal
2003
Interactive University
development of distance learning “Business English” program
2002
Award
Deloitte & Touche’s 5th fastest growing technology company in the UK, 30th fastest in Europe
2001
Pearson Education
substantial program development contract
New Head Office
move to central Edinburgh
2000
Development
series of innovative reusable learning objects and simulations in finance and mathematics for Heriot-Watt University
1999
Edinburgh Business School
new eMBA production contract
1998
Unext.com
produced learning materials in finance which helped the launch of Unext.com in Chicago
1997
City of Edinburgh
launched the city’s website EdWeb (bringing over 1 million web visitors to virtually visit the official guide to the city online)
1996
Incorporation
in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK