Al Bayan School for girls in Qatar was part of Microsoft Corp. Chairman Bill Gates announcement about worldwide expansion of the company’s Innovative Schools initiative as part of his keynote address at the Microsoft Government Leaders Forum (GLF) Europe. Tailored to meet local community needs, the Innovative Schools will be rolled out in 12 locations including Qatar, as well as United Kingdom (UK), France, Germany, Finland, Sweden, Ireland, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Chile and Hong Kong. “We are very proud to be among the 12 schools worldwide chosen to participate in this program. I am sure that with Microsoft and ictQATAR support, our school will become an incubator for innovative ideas in education,” said Mrs. Hessa Al-Abdulla, Al Bayan School Principal.
“Education is key to economic development and competitiveness,” Gates said before the event. “It’s key to fostering the social and economic conditions needed for entrepreneurs to succeed, for workers to prosper in the knowledge economy and for everyone to realize their full potential. Microsoft is committed to helping strengthen education by working in partnership with educators, policymakers and students around the world.”
Preparing students for the 21st century workforce is a huge challenge and one that educators should not have to shoulder alone. Microsoft’s Innovative Schools program assists local partners with efforts to modernize schools to meet the challenges of 21st Century learning by providing schools with strategic planning, best practices, support personnel and technology solutions.
“Choosing a Qatari school to be part of this internationally recognized program, highlights the fact that Qatar is becoming the hub for research and development,” commented Dr. Hessa Al-Jaber, ictQATAR’s Secretary General. “We are looking forward to this partnership with Microsoft as one of our strategic alliances.”
Microsoft Qatar Country Manager, Mohammad Hammoudi, “The fact that a Qatari school is chosen as part of this special program is a testimony to the advanced level of readiness schools in Qatar have achieved in preparing students for the future digital society and knowledge based economy that Qatar is moving towards.”
The program has been developed out of collaborations with Singapore’s BackPack.Net Technology program, the Building Schools for the Future project in the UK, and School of the Future projects in Taiwan and the United States.
“The Innovative Schools Program is in alignment with the national strategy for e-Education and galvanizes ictQATAR’s endeavor to take education to new horizons of innovation and achievement through ICT,” commented Dr. Mohamed Al-Ansari, ictQATAR’s e-Education Manager.
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About Microsoft Gulf
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential. Microsoft Gulf opened its Dubai-based headquarters in 1991. Microsoft Gulf today oversees Microsoft activities in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, the UAE and Yemen. 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 ictQATAR
ictQATAR, the Supreme Council of Information and Communications Technology, is Qatar’s leading telecommunications regulatory authority and initiator of multiple information and communication technology programs designed to drive industry and advance the lives of Qatar's people. ictQATAR's aims to promote an advanced ICT society through the development of infrastructure and skills, the delivery of e-services and education, and the fostering of a regulatory environment conducive to sustainable growth. For more information please visit our website: http://www.ict.gov.qa
