NUS One Of First In Asia To Launch Microsoft DreamSpark

Stacey Wong | h.y.w@nus.edu.sg
the ridge news
A NUSSU Publication

Story Highlights:

• Professional level software now available free of charge for NUS students
• NUS Deputy President pleased to be part of the programme
• DreamSpark programme to be rolled out in three phases
• International Student Identity Card as proof of verification for download now available for sale in the Science Co-op.

How would you like a free copy of Microsoft Visual Studio 2008? How about the entire Microsoft Expression Studio or the ability to turn your dream game into reality with XNA Game Studio 2.0?

These commercial level developer and design tools will now be available to current National University of Singapore (NUS) students at no charge.

NUS Deputy President Mr. Joseph P Mullinix (extreme left) and NTU Associate Provost Professor Er Meng Hwa (extreme right) inking the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) Centre: Barney Lau, Managing Director of Microsoft Singapore

To spark the dreams of young talented minds, Microsoft is offering a bundle of cutting-edge professional level design and development software to aid and empower students in their school assignments, project works or purely for experimentation purposes.

NUS is one of the first two institutions in Southeast Asia and one of the foremost in the Asia-Pacific to partner Microsoft to launch Microsoft DreamSpark, a completely free initiative to drive technological innovation worldwide.

NUS Deputy President Mr. Joseph P Mullinix and NTU Associate Provost Professor Er Meng Hwa inked the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the Microsoft Centre on Thursday, April 10.

Mr. Mullinix said, “ We are happy to be part of this global DreamSpark programme, it is a great initiative to make sure students have the tools they need to test the boundaries of how technology can change peoples’ lives as well as their own.”

Microsoft’s Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Kevin Turner who witnessed the signing ceremony affirmed, “Microsoft believes in the power of technology to transform education, we believe this will go a long way in improving learning outcomes for local students.”

By the end of 2008, the DreamSpark programme will potentially reach 120,000 tertiary students in Singapore.

The DreamSpark programme will be rolled out locally in three phrases, offering the same fully loaded Microsoft software that professionals pay a sizable sum to get.

The first phrase of rollout, due for completion in June 2008, will see students of NUS and NTU accessing the plethora of cutting-edge tools and technology.

In other words, NUS students can only achieve “verified” student status and start downloading the professional level software from June this year.

Microsoft is currently working to set in place the necessary local student identity-verification technology infrastructure to provide students with access to DreamSpark.

One such technology is available at STA Travel, located at the Science Co-op beneath LT 27, in the form of an International Student Identity Card (ISIC).

The ID number available on the card, which will cost 15 dollars, will serve as proof of verification of one’s student status and permit any active NUS student to sign up online at https://downloads.channel8.msdn.com/ to access, download and use the different software immediately.

Microsoft’s new offer not only allows students to unlock their creativity but more importantly, allow students to gain a head start in their careers.

VIPs: Various heads of local tertiary institutions and polytechnics in a group shot after the signing

Barney Lau, Managing Director of Microsoft Singapore said, “Students are gaining access to professional commercial grade development and designer tools. These are not theoretical programmes but software that are actually implemented in the commercial world.”

Final year Computer Engineering student Wilson Loo, a student partner of Microsoft said, “This is a very interesting initiative. With this launch, anyone can use the tools today and that really bridges the boundary.”

“It really helps students to jumpstart their careers, it’s not just about what we learnt in class per se but applying that in the practical context,” added Loo.

However, Microsoft stresses that design and gaming tools accessible under the DreamSpark initiative are only for academic purposes.

Students are encouraged to develop applications by leveraging on these free-access tools and share them freely with their friends.

Microsoft has in place a separate set of programmes for start-ups to develop applications that could potentially be used for commercial development.

Lau said, “The purpose of this programme is really to help students gain access to technology for assignments and research.”

“We believe that this initiative would be landscape changing as there are no constraints. It fosters innovation, promotes experimentation and is going to create a lot of opportunities for students.”

“At the end of the day, it is the students and universities that gain,” Lau added.

As part of the program, students can access Visual Studio 2005 Professional Edition, Visual Studio 2008 Professional Edition and the entire suite of designer tools in the Expression Studio, including Expression Web, Expression Blend, Expression Design and Expression Media.

Microsoft is also making XNA Game Studio 2.0, SQL Server Developer Edition and Windows Server Standard Edition available.

Students are eligible for a free 12-month academic membership in the XNA Creators Club.

 

More FAQs can be found at https://downloads.channel8.msdn.com/FAQ/Students.aspx