The first Microsoft Learning Center in the Mena region will be set up by the Higher Colleges of Technology and Microsoft after the parties signed an education alliance agreement today (November 17).

Under the framework of the agreement, the centre will be located at the Higher Colleges of Technology and will serve as a specialised resource center for faculty and students, as well as a laboratory testing environment for development of Windows Phone 7, Windows Azure, and Kinect.

It has been designed to strengthen public-private partnerships in harnessing the power of technology in the education sector, a statement from the company said.

Dr Tayeb Kamali, vice chancellor of the Higher Colleges of Technology, said: 'We are committed to providing a world-class educational experience for our students as they prepare to enter a competitive knowledge-based economy as graduates.”

“This partnership between HCT and Microsoft is strategically positioned to open up new avenues of collaboration and efficiencies for our many stakeholders – faculty, students, and administrators – so that we can further develop our emphasis on innovation in education, ensuring our students will have the skills of teamwork, adaptability, global awareness, technology and analytical thinking to make important contributions to our nation.” Dr Kamali added.

“By working closely with Microsoft on establishing this learning center, the Higher Colleges of Technology will also contribute to advances in cloud computing, as well as to the highly dynamic industry of games for learning though the Kinect technology. It is therefore enhancing its reputation as an ideal choice for UAE employers seeking well-educated and well-prepared graduates,” he said.

Samer Abu-Ltaif, regional general manager, Microsoft Gulf, said: “Microsoft has made a long-term commitment to working with the government, teachers and students in UAE to expand the world of learning through technology. It has over two decades of experience working with educational institutions worldwide and developing innovative education products and solutions. We will leverage this expertise in these pioneering joint efforts to create exceptional educational experiences for students and teachers across the Higher Colleges of Technology.” – TradeArabia News Service