UNESCO & Microsoft join forces to promote greater access and use of ICT for higher education enhancement

Last week in Paris close to 100 ministers of education, senior education officials and policy advisors attended the UNESCO World Conference on Higher Education (WCHE) followed by the Microsoft Education Leaders Forum. The WCHE is focusing on critical issues around reduced funding for education globally as a result of the economic crisis and the need for governments to find affordable measures for short-term skills training and work force enhancement in support of economic recovery and growth. Many delegations in attendance from developing regions emphasized the longer-term challenges of sustainable higher education reform and capacity-building.

To help mobilize critical strategic resources to better assist ministries of education worldwide, UNESCO and Microsoft announced a joint task force called the UNESCO-Microsoft Task Force on Higher Education and ICT. The taskforce will analyze the findings and recommendations of the WCHE, in addition to feedback from global higher education experts, to identify initiatives that will promote more effective use of ICT in post-secondary teaching, learning and research.

Just a few of the ways UNESCO and Microsoft are working together - applying technology to help transform education!

-- Claudia Toth

Microsoft Global Strategic Accounts