BWI: Microsoft Offers Ed-Vantage Program to 'Educate, Envision, Empower' Students to Become a Better Workforce

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: Microsoft Corporation India Private Ltd
Thursday, October 18, 2012 02:00 PM IST (08:30 AM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest, People; Business: Business services, Education & training, Information technology; Technology
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Microsoft Offers Ed-Vantage Program to 'Educate, Envision, Empower' Students to Become a Better Workforce
New program will aim to bring together the best of Microsoft's Education initiatives in tandem with individual campus needs

New Delhi, Delhi, India, Thursday, October 18, 2012 -- (Business Wire India) -- Microsoft Corporation India Pvt. Ltd. today announced the launch of a new education resourcing program, Microsoft Ed-vantage, in response to strong feedback received from academic institutions in India. The key aspects of this feedback related to helping the institutions with topics that are most relevant to them, such as partnering with them to bring in more technology innovation and capacity building for faculty and students; and making their students more employable.

The introduction of Microsoft Ed-vantage represents an evolution in the way over 10,000 universities and colleges can adopt Microsoft student solutions to their individual needs, providing them the opportunity to compete on the global employment stage on an equal footing.

The program aims to consolidate and enhance the benefits to both academic institutions and students who are leveraging well-established Microsoft programs like Campus Agreements, IT Academy, DreamSpark, Imagine Cup, Student2Business etc. that provide the right software tools to the faculty and students. This program's primary focus is to make students more employable and equip them with skills relevant to industry needs. It is designed to help eligible academic campuses and their students connect with various organizations in Indian industry, thereby creating a platform for the students to explore internship and employment opportunities.

"The introduction of Ed-vantage represents an all new way that in the way academic institutions can work more closely with Microsoft than ever before, to leverage the technology and programs that we have to offer, build the right skills to become more employable while getting innovative ", said Sanket Akerkar, Managing Director, Microsoft Corporation India Private Limited. "Facilitating the right technology education is on the top of Microsoft's agenda, as it collectively helps India as a nation", he added.

The importance of providing current, real-world tools to information systems (IS) students at an affordable cost is a challenge many IS educators continue to face. The Microsoft Ed-vantage program is a response to this need and pulls together the core principles of genuine software, and certifications to make students 'employable' in these times of shrinking academic budgets and increasing educational costs.

The Microsoft Ed-vantage program offers four levels that can be leveraged with Microsoft - each level of investment comes with key benefits going from Basic to Silver, Gold and Platinum, for which the core benefits include:

-- The Silver, Gold and Platinum levels are eligible for a certain amount of key benefits per the level such as Industry connections for internship & employment opportunities and Microsoft's Academic Alliance certification & recognition

-- The Platinum level is eligible for on campus Microsoft's Innovation Center

Additional benefits include:

-- The Basic benefits include DreamSpark activation keys to students, "How to leverage Microsoft" on campus session, Free O365 subscription to students;

-- Silver includes on campus hands on "technology / productivity
foundation" workshop;

-- Gold benefits include invitation to annual faculty summer camp at Microsoft; and

-- Platinum gives an invitation to annual faculty summit by Microsoft Research.

Their eligibility to get these benefits against the four levels is based on the core principles of genuine software, embracing campus agreements and providing a sound content and platform for IT certifications by students and the depth of each of these investments.

The Microsoft Ed-vantage intends to impact several technical and non-technical colleges and institutes throughout India. To be eligible for any level, the participants must have genuine Microsoft software.

About Microsoft India

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software - any time, any place and on any device. Microsoft Corporation (India) Private Ltd is a subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation, USA. It has had a presence in India since 1990 and currently has offices in nine cities

-- Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi and Pune.



CONTACT DETAILS
Gopika Gulati, IPAN Hill+Knowlton Strategies, +91 9871171998, Gopika.gulati@hkstrategies.com

KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, PEOPLE, BUSINESS SERVICES, EDUCATION, IT, TECHNOLOGY

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