The U.S. Treasury's Bureau of the Public Debt launched a new web-based, distance learning application designed to help the financial institutions that serve as U.S. Savings Bonds issuing and paying agents train their personnel who handle savings bond transactions. This free interactive training, called "Savings Bonds University," is available, at www.savingsbonds.gov.

Savings Bonds University (SBU) allows students from any financial institution to register for a series of self-administered courses covering such topics as: the features of savings bonds; registering bonds; purchasing and redeeming bonds; completing a savings bonds exchange transaction, and more. Each mini-course takes about 20 minutes to complete and is followed by a quiz to test the student's knowledge and understanding of the subject matter. A student completing all the courses and passing the quizzes "graduates" and can download a certificate of completion that can be added to the student's in-house training information.

The Savings Bond University offerings are self-paced, allowing students to go on-line when it is convenient for them and complete as much, or as little, of the material as they choose. Because it is web-based, SBU is always available, can be used as a refresher for experienced staff, and will be updated as changes in savings bonds features or procedures as they occur. The course content covers the basic information previously available only through seminars conducted by Federal Reserve Banks.

SBU also offers online resources for additional information, a page of e-mail addresses for questions, a glossary of savings bond terms, and links to appropriate areas of the savings bonds web site.