New Zealand's first world-class Educational Alliance

University of Canterbury and Microsoft New Zealand announce public-private partnership.

The University of Canterbury and Microsoft New Zealand are today announcing a partnership that will see the formation of a world-class education centre of excellence in the region.

The alliance is the first of its kind in New Zealand, but joins 50 other public-private partnerships already in place around the world. These educational alliances have been designed to transform education, foster local innovation and enable jobs and opportunities.

Using technology as the foundation, the agreement provides a framework for Microsoft and the University of Canterbury to work together in a number of different ways. Microsoft will provide the tools, support and expertise, while the University provides a world-class research centre and some of the country’s best minds to make the most of such resources.

Paul Muckleston, Managing Director of Microsoft New Zealand says Microsoft is committed to helping students and education providers reach their full potential.

“Education is vital to New Zealand’s sustainable social and economic progress. The opportunity to partner with an educational institution of such a calibre as the University of Canterbury provides a great chance for us to support Kiwis. We are very excited about the alliance and look forward to providing students and researchers with the tools and capabilities to empower them to unleash their knowledge and creativity. We want Canterbury students and researchers to be connected, communicating and collaborating.”

University of Canterbury Vice-Chancellor, Dr Rod Carr says, “Today, Microsoft is entering a partnership with an institution that seeks to promote a world-class learning environment that allows talented students and faculty to realise their full potential.”

“As our University seeks to be fit-for-purpose in the 21st century, we are guided by our strategic intent to challenge ourselves harder, concentrate on what we are good at and connect better. I am truly delighted that this commitment we are making on behalf of our talented students and faculty of today – and the future – has been acknowledged in such a way by Microsoft.”

The education alliance will remain in effect for three years and offers the University access to a range of Microsoft technologies and resources. Key elements of the agreement include an annual Research Intern Award which will provide the opportunity for two post graduate students to undertake a three to six month internship at Microsoft Research’s Beijing lab. This will lift the University’s research competitiveness and build on research collaboration with Microsoft Research.

Microsoft will become a Platinum Partner of NZi3, the national ICT Innovation Institute. This support will help the University drive industry relationships and innovation and maximise the impact their research has on the world.
In an effort to support the transformation of education (and the vision for Canterbury to be an Educational Centre of Excellence) both Microsoft and the University will participate in a proposed Canterbury Education Network that links student and teacher communities across the region.

Other benefits from the alliance include:
· Access to CodePlex –a free online open source service for software developer students to create new projects to share with the world.
· Support through Education Impact – an independent global fellowship of thought leaders in education, that provides consultancy and execution “know how” for the effective and efficient use of technology in Education.
· Information Technology Advice – Microsoft Solution Specialists will provide expertise and guidance in the development of tailor-made implementation plans that deliver the optimum application of ICT solutions.
· A Microsoft Campus Agreement – provides simple, flexible volume-based pricing designed to reduce the costs of acquiring, upgrading, maintaining and managing Microsoft software for multiple computers.
· Participation in DreamSpark and the Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) Academic Alliance – offering the simplest and most inexpensive way to provide the latest Microsoft software to labs, classrooms and PCs used by students for research and teaching in the study of science and technology.
· Encourage student innovation through participation in the Microsoft Imagine Cup global technology competition.
· Access to Microsoft Live@edu – a cloud based service for student communication and collaboration.
· Research collaboration – including the opportunity for Microsoft Research guest lecturers and workshops.
· Supporting the College of Education to lift ICT readiness of Pre-Service teacher trainees

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Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realise their full potential.