Updated on: Monday, November 02, 2009
Taking yet another step to provide sound technology footing to its students, the Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University – Hyderabad (JNTUH) has tied up with Microsoft to make available various Microsoft tools for its students to work on.
The tie-up ensures that over three lakh students of JNTUH, including all its affiliated colleges will now have access to cutting-edge technology free of cost and help them build critical skills. “Students can now work with professional-level tools for their projects and other academic work,” says D.N. Reddy, Vice-Chancellor, JNTUH.
DreamSpark project
The tools that are made available by Microsoft under its DreamSpark project encourage students to explore the power of technology and to improve lives, solve problems and catalyse economic growth. “However, this tie-up will help in smooth registration and verification, which is must for any student, for the JNTUH students,” says G. Vijayakumari, Head of Computer Science Department and coordinator of the project.
She says JNTUH students whose studies touch upon Maths, Science, Technology, Engineering and Design will be offered free academic software licensing.
The DreamSpark initiative in India is designed to join the dots between software access, which means making training and enablement complement simple access to technology.
Free membership
Microsoft developer tools which students would have access to include Visual Studio 2005 Professional Edition, Visual Studio 2008 Professional Edition, XNA Game Studio 2.0 and one year free membership in the XNA Creators Club. These professional-grade products provide a security-enhanced and reliable environment, enabling students to programme everything from a cell phone to a robot or to create their own web page.
Microsoft designer tools like Expression Studio including Expression Web, Expression Blend, Expression Design and Expression Media will enable students to vividly bring their creative visions to life in vibrant new web site designs and more effective digital content, including animation, imagery and photography.
The Microsoft platform resources also include SQL Server 2008 Developer Edition, SQL Server 2005 Developer Edition, Windows Server 2008 Standard Edition, Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition and Virtual PC 2007. These products deliver a security-enhanced and reliable environment, reliable and manageable environment for students to more quickly turn ideas into reality.
e-learning courses
In addition to the software, students get access to learning content via IT Academy Student Pass. The Microsoft IT Academy Student Pass is a special no-cost online learning opportunity for students.
IT Academy Student Pass provides free e-learning courses to students who are interested in extending their technical skills with Microsoft technologies.
All students receiving free software through this programme need to accept an end user license agreement (EULA) that specifies that the software will only be used by the student for non-commercial use to support and advance their learning and enhancing skills. This is to avoid professionals misusing it.