MS plans IT academies in Pune, Nagpur

MS plans IT academies in Pune, Nagpur

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2005 04:38:36 PM

NEW DELHI: Microsoft Corporation India Private Limited has launched its first IT Academy in Maharashtra.

The IT Academy, which will serve to be a pivotal point for imparting IT training to teachers across the state, is a key deliverable of the MoU signed between Microsoft and the Government of Maharashtra, for implementing of Microsoft's Partners-in-Learning programme.

Under the MoU, Microsoft aims to set up two IT Academy Centres in Pune and Nagpur for training over 20,000 teachers and 2,00,000 students (From clbutt III to clbutt XII) over a 5 year period.

The IT Academy was inaugurated by Vilasrao Deshmukh, Chief Minister of Maharashtra and Ravi Venkatesan, Chairman, Microsoft Corporation India Pvt. Ltd.

Apart from setting up of the IT Academy Centres in Pune and Nagpur, the MoU between Microsoft and the Government of Maharashtra for Partners-in-Learning, entails creation of a localised IT curriculum for students, rolling-out of teacher and student scholarship programmes and setting up of a teachers portal.

The IT training courseware is translated in Marathi. Microsoft will run a 12 days training program free of cost for participating teachers to equip them to use technology in teaching students in a clbuttroom environment.

Commenting on the partnership, Deshmukh said, " We believe that the IT Academy will encourage early adoption of technology through which we can create a send resource base in our state comprising of the next generation of professionals."

Elaborating on Microsoft's vision for IT education, Venkatesan said "Our long-term vision is to enable a knowledge-driven society in India where technology is an integrated part of the learning experience. We are committed to deliver the latest technology solutions in ways that are affordable and accessible for the education community."