The government and Microsoft Corporation have signed a five-year, €26.8 million strategic partnership agreement which includes enterprise licences, educational initiatives and the setting up of a Microsoft Innovation Centre in Malta that will be the first in the world to focus on Cloud Computing.
The Innovation Centre will be set up in 2012 by Microsoft and its partners, with a seed investment of more than €3 million over five years.
"The goal of the innovation centre is to stimulate a strong ICT skills base in Cloud Computing and the development of Cloud Computing Solutions and Services that can be marketed locally and beyond our shores," the Ministry of the Infrastructure, which is also responsible for IT, said.
It said the Enterprise Agreement will bring about a reduction of 12% in annual licensing costs for the government. The enterprise-wide licences for Windows 7 will translate in higher productivity, improved security and stability and access to enhanced desktop features such as user interface, mobility and communication and remote management.
A School Agreement covers all the licenses required for Microsoft Windows operating system and Office software for 28,000 users in state primary and secondary schools, including students, teachers and administration. Through this agreement, the government will save 27% in annual licensing costs.
STUDENT SOFTWARE OFFER
The ministry said the new partnership features a student software offer, Live@Edu and DreamSpark.
Maltese students and teachers who attend or teach in state and non-state schools from kindergarten level to University will be able to acquire Windows 7 Professional Upgrade and Office Professional 2010 for €79.79, 86% cheaper than the current market price. Registrations from students and teachers to purchase the software will be accepted online and are expected to open in September 2011.
Live@Edu will provide free access to cloud hosted online services for local students who will be able to benefit from free hosted email (Outlook Live), free online storage (Skydrive) and make use of Office web apps such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote.
DreamSpark will offer post-secondary and tertiary students free access to professional Microsoft developer, designer and gaming software such as Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Developer, Visual Studio and Expression Studio. These software development tools, which usually have a price tag of approximately €1,500, will be available for free for local educational institutions for the benefit of students and teachers.
IT Minister Austin Gatt said that the relationship between the government and Microsoft, established a decade ago, was not only built on a commercial premise but above all, was intended to have spill-over benefits through value added initiatives for the wider society and economy.
Various Microsoft related initiatives had been launched over the past 10 years, including student software offers, the Microsoft Academies at the University of Malta and the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST), ICT training for teachers, the opportunity given to local students to participate in the global Imagine Cup Competition and others.
"Establishing strategic partnerships with the likes of Microsoft, and similar multinational companies have been vital in the improvement of Malta's ranking in international benchmarks which has improved in various fronts year on year and has placed Malta on the ICT map," added Dr Gatt.
"If we want the local ICT industry to flourish and remain competitive, we must widen the choice of education and training opportunities available locally. Over recent years, the Cloud has proven to be an undisputable commercial success and will continue to play an important role in the ICT domain for the next 10 years or more. Thanks to the Microsoft Innovation Centre, we will be able to build a strong local skills-base in cloud computing and related technologies," concluded Minister Gatt.
MITA Chairman Claudio Grech, said the Student Software Offer is expected to attract some 20,000 students and teachers for a total value of €10 million. Additionally, the Live@Edu programme is expected to be extended to some 40,000 students and teachers over 5 years, will equate to approximately €4.8 million.
DreamSpark is expected to be extended to approximately 6,000 students and teachers over 5 years and will equate to a value of €9 million, bringing the total educational value to €23.8 million.