Northern Colleges Network, a commercial body representing 16 further education colleges in the North East of England is launching a net-based learning system to deliver courses via the internet to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and community colleges. NCN has signed a contract for a 500-user start-up licence for the Solstra system from British Telecommunications and Sussex-based Futuremedia following a three-month trial that delivered finance, training needs analysis, marketing and telematic skills courses to 79 people at 33 companies. The trial was supported by ADAPT, a European social fund for research and development programme. Plans include online work assessment and "virtual tutors".