Students are mired in the world of technology

More average animal. For large companies, the "relations schools" - in other words, the regular exchanges with universities and schools - became unavoidable. The main players in the high-tech well understood, which multiply the initiatives in this field. And, in this area, Microsoft shows particularly in advanced. The firm has long been woven of close links with higher education - and even with the educational world as a whole.

It is sufficient to be convinced to take a look on the hexagonal agenda of the software giant. In a few weeks, he is preparing to organize the national finals of the Imagine Cup competition, which has mobilized 3,000 students in France. He will also participate next month, the award of Junior-enterprises. This on the forums of the grandes écoles, the firm has also signed to back a partnership with the University Paris Descartes in scope. Not to mention a multitude of one-off collaborations or interventions of its experts in the amphis...

Agreements and services

Why activism on campus The main reason is... cultural order, one is tempted to say. At Microsoft, it is indeed convinced that the proximity with the student world - and research - is a major source of innovation for the sector. "Students are mired in the world of technology." They are users aware of our products and our services. "They are an incomparable Stinger for the computer industry," said Eric Le Marois, Director education and research firm. "Many companies among the most influential were launched by students", for its part is Ray Ozzie, Director of software architecture at Microsoft.

In the opposite direction, Microsoft intends to provide students and teachers the tools and means to accelerate this innovation. Higher education and the it sector have thus to do: they are engaged together in a positive dynamic for one as for the other. But this commitment is not only a question of image. It is also based on a creed shared by most Microsoft employees: one that technology can "change the world" and make it better.

The group founded by Bill Gates loses sight of its well understood interest. Because today's students are also managers and decision makers of tomorrow. Attract them, it is the groundwork for future contracts - even future recruitment. Better therefore to treat this population - especially at a time when many young continental on free software. In addition, reinforce his image of "citizen" business cannot be wrong. This also allows Microsoft to forget the grievances that he has received its dominance without sharing, especially on the part of the European competition authorities.

To put music on this strategy, Microsoft deploys large ways. In France, the service dedicated to education mobilizes regularly about 30 people. And Steve Ballmer, President, does not rate an opportunity, as it moves around the world, to "wear the word" audiences of students.

Collaboration with schools or universities can take various forms: home of trainees, dispatch of experts in the course, research support, ready for software... The partnership can take a more formal twist: Microsoft has signed agreements with Lyon-I, Descartes and Sciences po Paris. The firm also maintains close links with Audencia and Grenoble EM, as well as with Inria (national Institute for research in computing and automatic). Chair optimization and sustainable development has also been created at Polytechnique, with the CNRS. And Microsoft sometimes offers scholarships on social criteria - for example to Lyon-I. "But our priority goes to technological collaboration, not to the sponsorship," said Eric Le Marois.

Commercial offers

Another important leverage, commercial offers. MSDN Academy (Microsoft Software Developer Network) enables 180 institutions subscribers to access all of the Software House for a modest amount. The students, they can find on offers that reserved for group online store. Example, the following Office less than 60 euros, to update Windows 7 to 35 euros... Most importantly, Microsoft offers them specific named Live edu. Completely free, it includes advanced messaging, storage space and a set of hosted services.

Moreover, Microsoft does not only to higher education: the firm results in its wake a multitude of partners (Dell, Cisco, IBM,...) or of subcontractors, start-ups it supports and even investors. It is in this spirit that was created three years ago the device ideas (Initiative for the economic development of software and the start-up publishers), which supports young shoots by providing expertise and technical support. In all, more than 400 start-up already were accompanied. Party of the Hexagon, ideas has even spread internationally. In short, it is a real "ecosystem" that the Redmond giant has created around him and he unleashes on campus.