Doha - Computer science professors and researchers from across the Middle East and Africa have gained an insight into future trends in software development at the Microsoft Academic Days event, which was held in Qatar last week. Microsoft Academic Days is a forum hosted by Microsoft, which brings together top faculty and Microsoft experts to discuss the latest developments in Software Engineering, Architectural Design and High Performance Computing.
The event featured key speakers from Microsoft Corporation and Microsoft Research as well as lecturers and professors from leading universities across the region. Scientists and experts from Microsoft were on hand to discuss current and future projects and trends in the software industry.
"Collaboration between academia and the IT industry is vital to helping to define the future of computing," said Mohammed Hammoudi, Country Manager, Microsoft Qatar. "Microsoft has a long established outreach program working with universities around the globe on important areas such as the emerging computing environment, transformation of science through computing, and advancing computer science curriculum. Academic Days give us a great opportunity to speak to our counterparts in the academic world, to share with them our ideas about the future of computing, and to work with them on driving the direction of development and research in the region."
Academic Days also includes sessions that cover best practices, teaching materials and practical experiences related to the introduction of Microsoft technologies to Computer Science and Software Engineering curricula.
"The software industry is constantly evolving and changing, with new concepts being developed around the world, and we feel that it is very important that computer science and engineering students are aware of and involved in the development of these technologies. The Middle East needs graduates who have an up-to-date understanding of the latest concepts in computing to enable them to drive local development and create world-class software businesses here in the region," said Charbel Fakhoury, General Manager of Microsoft Gulf.
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About Microsoft Corporation
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software - any time, any place and on any device. Microsoft opened its Dubai-based Middle East office in 1991. Microsoft today has five subsidiaries in the Middle East region: Microsoft South Gulf which oversees Microsoft activities in the UAE, Oman, Yemen and Pakistan, Microsoft North Gulf which oversees Microsoft activities in Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar, Microsoft Arabia covering the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Microsoft East Med covering , Lebanon, Jordan, Cyprus and Malta and Microsoft Egypt. Microsoft Corporation's address on the World Wide Web is: www.microsoft.com Microsoft Middle East's Web site is: www.microsoft.com/middleeast
About Microsoft Research
Founded in 1991, Microsoft Research is dedicated to conducting both basic and applied research in computer science and software engineering. Its goals are to enhance the user experience on computing devices, reduce the cost of writing and maintaining software, and invent novel computing technologies. Researchers focus on more than 55 areas of computing and collaborate with leading academic, government and industry researchers to advance the state of the art in such areas as graphics, speech recognition, user-interface research, natural language processing, programming tools and methodologies, operating systems and networking, and the mathematical sciences. Microsoft Research employs more than 700 people in six labs located in Redmond, Wash.; San Francisco; Silicon Valley, Calif.; Cambridge, England; Beijing; and Bangalore, India. The External Research and Programs group within Microsoft Research is dedicated to building world-class relationships with colleges and universities that enhance the teaching and learning experience, inspire technological innovation, and establish Microsoft as a valuable technology partner for higher education. More information can be found at http://www.research.microsoft.com
For further information please contact:
Microsoft contact
Bahaa Issa
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Tel: 00-9714-3917000
Fax: 00-9714-3917001
E-mail: bahaai@microsoft.com
Media contact
Mark Sutton
ASDA'A Public Relations
Tel: 00-9714-3344550
Fax: 00-9714-3344556
E-mail: m.sutton@asdaa.com
© Press Release 2005
