When I started teaching, the teacher s role was to distribute information to the students.

It was a one-way street. Luckily, the times are changing.

The idea that the best way to learn is by doing it together is gaining momentum.

Information technology has made this change possible by enabling new methods of communal learning.

Pasi Holmstr m, project manager, Finnish Association of People with Mobility Disabilities

In the classroom and the workplace, in the home and in the local community centre,

IT provides a unique and powerful impetus for learning,

collaboration, creativity and problem-solving that in turn drives innovation,

job creation, economic growth and social development.

Neil Holloway, President, Microsoft Europe, Middle East and Africa

At Microsoft we have a strong and simple commitment to the communities where we do business — to help put information

technology (IT) to work for people s dreams and to fuel the future.

In the classroom and the workplace, in the home and in the local community centre, IT provides a unique and powerful impetus

for learning, collaboration, creativity and problem-solving that in turn drives innovation, job creation, economic growth and social

development.

This is what inspires us, both in our business and in our social investments — the power of technology to enable people, businesses

and entire nations to realise their full potential.

Across Europe, the Middle East and Africa it is clearer than ever that access to technology, education and employability skills are

essential to address many of the big challenges and opportunities of our time: to build a sustainable and vibrant information society

for all; to create breakthroughs in science and technology; to combat poverty, unemployment and exclusion.

At Microsoft we believe the private sector can and should support its local communities in facing these issues, through public-private

partnerships that focus on practical programmes with real human impact.

This third edition of Realising Potential in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) is an opportunity to share updates about a

selection of our partnerships with independent software businesses, national and local governments, the education and research

communities in many countries, and with local and international non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and humanitarian agencies.

In this publication, you will find examples of how we are working with the public sector in Italy and Turkey to create innovative

e-government services, and with school administrators and teachers in Bahrain, Greece and Russia to bring 21st century-learning

technologies to their pupils. You can also read about our support for ground-breaking community learning initiatives in Kenya and

Pakistan to empower young women as future entrepreneurs. And, finally, you will discover examples of our open and collaborative

approach to innovation, working with academic, industry and government partners to produce technologies that serve society,

businesses and the ICT industry across the region.

My personal commitment, and that of Microsoft, is to continue working in such partnerships to help ensure that the real potential

of technology to be a force for economic and social progress is fully realised and available to all.

3

Neil HollowayPresident, Microsoft Europe, Middle East and Africa

4

Microsoft Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) encompasses more than 60 local offices and

delivers products and services in more than 139 countries across the region. In this third edition

of Realising Potential in Europe, the Middle East and Africa you will find some new examples that

reflect the breadth of our many partnerships: enabling people, organisations and businesses

throughout the region to realise their full potential.

5

Germany

Austria

Italy

Latvia

Greece

Russia

Bahrain

Pakistan

Turkey

Realising Potential in Europe,

the Middle East and Africa

Western europe

Central &

eastern europe

Middle east

Africa

Innovation

in EMEA

Kenya

Pan-Africa

Rwanda

Italy

Germany

Pan-European

Our mission as the world s largest humanitarian organisation is to provide assistance without discrimination.

The only way we can continue to enhance our unique network of National Societies is through

long-term partnerships with global business leaders such as Microsoft who support our efforts,

share our vision and are committed to advancing innovation for social good.

Didier Cherpitel, Secretary General of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

The European Union s 2005 Strategy for Growth and Jobs calls on the private sector to partner with governments to

help deliver a more vibrant and innovative Europe. The Strategy aims to promote increased R&D investment and

partnership, promote entrepreneurship and skills, improve the uptake of e-government and cut red tape in order to

spur higher growth and faster job creation to help Europe respond to the challenges of a rapidly ageing population

and high structural unemployment in some economies. ICT is already the most productive sector of the European

economy, and plays a vital role in driving innovation, competitiveness and value-added employment in other sectors.

Microsoft, in partnership with many other organisations across Europe, is investing more in research and innovation,

the growth potential of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and employability skills training that transform

lives and create new opportunities.

Westerne u r o p e

Germany —Austr ia —I ta ly

7

GermanyReducing the administrative burden to focus on patient care

Every year Hanau City Hospital in Germany treats 27,000 in- and out-patients.

The primary function of its staff — which includes around 900 employees from

doctors to administrative support — is no different to that of any hospital in the

world: to provide the best possible medical care to its patients. A critical aspect

of its ability to do this is a reduction in the administrative burden, both in terms

of time and cost, and the systems that support the hospital functions are

central to achieving this.

System availability 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year is

absolutely essential to a hospital. The 805-bed Hanau City Hospital keeps

detailed digital records on all of its in- and out-patients, including continually

updated personal data along with details of illnesses and any treatment. When

a patient arrives requiring urgent medical assistance, the doctors and nurses at

Hanau need to be able to access their medical records immediately to ensure

that appropriate attention and treatment is given; any system outage can result

in disruption to the work of medical staff.

Hanau City Hospital s existing IT infrastructure was failing to give the

robustness it required and was unable to meet the hospital s data storage

requirements. As a result, the hospital decided to deploy a business-critical SAP

application running on a Microsoft platform, managing to do so with no

disruption to the hospital s day-to-day operations and providing a system that

is familiar and easy to use.

To a patient, the only concern should be whether they are getting the very best

medical attention. To achieve this — and to apply maximum resources to clinical

care — the hospital must employ the most effective and efficient systems and

technology. Hanau City s residents can rest safe in the knowledge that its hospital

has done exactly that.

8

Because of streamlined IT management, operating costs

have fallen by an estimated 35 per cent.

H seyin G kceoglu, IT Manager, Hanau City Hospital

AustriaHelping the homeless get back on their feet

After five years of living on the streets of Vienna, 42 year old Monika could not imagine that she would ever be able to live a

normal life again. Today, however, thanks to neunerHAUS and Microsoft, Monika can be found at 7.00am sharp, turning up for

work as an assistant in a print shop. The free ICT training course Monika undertook not only helped her find employment; it also

allowed her to regain her confidence and self-esteem. Today, I can t imagine life without work, she says, looking forward to a

brighter future.

Formed in 1998 and based in Vienna, neunerHAUS is an association that provides a safe and secure environment for homeless

people. More than simply finding shelter for those living on the streets of Austria s capital city, neunerHAUS also promotes physical

health and their social and vocational integration. Two years ago, as part of Microsoft s Unlimited Potential initiative, Microsoft

Austria worked with neunerHAUS to convert a spare room in one of its residences into a computer laboratory, providing financial

resources and software and helping find hardware and furniture, in addition to helping neunerHAUS secure government funding.

The resources enabled neunerHAUS to provide ICT training to those in its care, allowing them to obtain the widely recognised

European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL) in addition to training in job application and interviews; all of which combine to help

people regain long-forgotten confidence and self-worth.

The training enables the homeless to take their first, small steps towards a better future life. Others, like Monika, have now found

full- and part-time employment as a result of the training and with a plan to increase the scope of the project across Vienna, many

more of the city s homeless look set to benefit.

I would never have thought

of learning something

ever again in my life.

Monika W, neunerHAUS participant

10

Ensuring efficient postal delivery across Italy

Italy

Poste Italiane — the Italian national postal service — is a large organisation by any measure: 13,500 post offices, 5,776 delivery offices,

41,000 vehicles, 15 scheduled daily flights and 154,000 employees. Faced with industry deregulation, Poste Italiane found itself

operating in an increasingly competitive marketplace, and needed to increase efficiency if it was to remain the first choice postal

service for Italy s population and businesses. It chose to do so through a technology renewal programme — Nuova Rete —a core element

of which was an automated postal system, or Sistema Automazione Corrispondenza (SAC), based on Microsoft technologies.

The objective of the SAC was to increase the efficiency of automated postal centres, reduce manual sorting, and convert production

units into technologically advanced facilities where sophisticated machinery would process large volumes of mail efficiently. As it

stood, the decentralised post collection and distribution network of offices was beneficial from a logistical standpoint, but hindered

management access of up-to-the-minute performance data; information that was crucial when key business decisions would

determine the organisation s success in a deregulated marketplace.

With the SAC, Poste Italiane has streamlined business processes in a highly complex operating environment. For management, it

has removed the headache of making important decisions based on incomplete business data; their day-to-day effectiveness is

significantly improved with real-time insight across activities at all operational levels. Company-wide, productivity has increased

as a result of the new SAC system. With tailored, real-time views of business data, employees from management to mail sorters

are making better business choices. In addition, staff have gained increased opportunities to develop new skills, adding value to

themselves personally as well as obtaining a richer day-to-day experience at work. Ultimately, of course, the delivery of post across

Italy has become more efficient, benefiting people and businesses alike.

11

The overall result of the new

technology is that we spend less time

working on what happened yesterday,

and more time on our current

activities and business challenges.

Paolo Sardoni, SAC Project Leader, Poste Italiane

Microsoft s extensive experience will be of great importance in all we are doing to promote

the use of new technologies in our country, both in business and public sector.

Dr Ivo Sanader, Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia

In the past two decades, Central and Eastern Europe has undergone a profound economic and social transition starting

with the fall of the Berlin Wall and culminating in the accession of eight countries from the region to the EU in May

2004 — and two more in January 2007. However, even as the region outpaces much of the rest of the globe in

economic growth, persistent social and economic hurdles remain — unemployment, technology access and skills,

barriers to entrepreneurship, and a divide between the urban and rural standards of living. Microsoft is partnering

with local and national governments, local business and community groups to improve public-sector efficiency,

invest in workforce skills and promote the integration of vulnerable groups in the labour market — critical factors for

sustained economic growth, increased prosperity across the region and improved living standards.

Central& e a s t e r n e u r o p e

Latvia — Greece — Russia

13

LatviaBringing ICT to Latvia s remotestcommunities

The level of computer literacy in Latvia is below the European average,

particularly among groups such as the unemployed — where basic computer

skills are found within only 35 per cent of people — the elderly, disabled and

rural communities. Alongside the government, the Latvian Information

Technology and Telecommunications Association (LIKTA) initiated a national

project — Latvia@World — to increase computer literacy and provide access to

information and communication technology (ICT) across the country. Microsoft

Latvia, in the framework of the Unlimited Potential initiative, is one of the project

partners and helps fund a programme to help people acquire ICT skills through

publicly available learning centres.

There are learning centres in 36 towns and villages, each providing two levels

of ICT training designed to meet the specific needs of their local communities;

an introductory course in computer basics and a second, more advanced level

based on a curriculum developed by Microsoft. Learning alongside peers and

friends increases the success of the training and establishes personal connections

that live on beyond the courses themselves. Since the start of the project in

2004, 300 trainers and approximately 10,000 people have received training.

The demand for training is high, with Latvians recognising the social and economic

opportunities that ICT skills can bring. The unemployed vastly improve their

prospects of securing employment, often in technology-related roles, while the

elderly, disabled and those living in remote rural areas can access online

government and private-sector services, negating the need for travel to towns

and cities and thereby improving quality of life.

Indeed, the elderly have been some of the most enthusiastic adopters of ICT,

using the free e-mail provided through Latvia@World to keep in touch with

their families; often many members of which will have moved overseas to

improve their professional prospects. They are also using their ICT skills and the

available resources to record memories of their lives, providing an important

record for generations to come.

14

People feel more comfortable within peer groups

of their colleagues, neighbours or friends.

This helps with learning computer skills and

keeping in touch with the community thereafter.

In the past, people mostly communicated by phone

or by mail. Now they have found cheaper and

faster opportunities of communication

by exchanging e-mails.

Mara Jakobsone, Latvia@World Project Coordinator

GreeceAn online competition to encourage IT use among schoolchildren

Across the Greek population, use of ICT is extremely low. 65 per cent of people have yet to use a PC and internet penetration is

just 18 per cent. In education the situation is little better. At just 3.7 per cent of its GDP, Greece spends less on education than

many other countries in the EU, and the PC to student ratio is poor. In 1996, Constantinos Doukas, General Manager of the Doukas

School, recognised the critical role that technology would play in the future and produced a project to encourage students to use

and learn with IT and which, today, involves thousands of Greece s schoolchildren.

The Lysias online competition is for Greek students between 10 and 18 years of age. Participants are asked to respond to questions

on subjects covering material taught in school and general knowledge. Two rounds of competition are followed by a prestigious

awards ceremony for national winners. Microsoft Greece became involved in the Lysias competition in 2003, contributing to all

aspects of the competition design, technology and content and developing a dedicated area within the Lysias website containing

information for children and their parents on fun, safe and secure web surfing.

Since Microsoft became involved, interest has exploded. The past two competitions saw participation grow more than 30 per cent

year on year; nearly 40,000 Greek students took part in the last competition — the contest s 10th anniversary — representing about

5 per cent of the entire Greek student population.

As an initiative to increase the awareness and use of ICT in learning, the Lysias competition s success is unparalleled and has clearly

been noticed by the Ministry of Education, which now also supports the competition. With plans to expand the competition to

different age groups and to take place all through the year, schools throughout Greece are looking at ways to more effectively use

technology to aid learning.

16

The Lysias Competition gave

us the opportunity to test our

knowledge on a wide range of

subjects, but most importantly

we were given the chance to use

technology in the process. Through the

internet I also managed to come into

contact with other people who live far

away from my little village, where I grew

up. It may be difficult for you to grasp,

but for children who live in a place

with 900 inhabitants it is a wonderful

experience to be able to use ICT in

order to test children s knowledge

and move beyond their borders.

Lysias Competition student

Supporting the learning process at Russian film institute

Russia

The S. A. Gerasimov Russian National State Institute of Cinematography

(VGIK) aims to maintain the world-renowned creative and artistic

traditions of Russian filmmaking. It is the only domestic state motion-

picture school with its own training studio and full technological cycle

for the production of motion-picture and video films. Students at the

VGIK are trained in acting, directing, motion-picture scenery, camera

operation, production, economics, animation and multimedia.

To achieve its goal of providing instructors and students with services that

enhance the quality of the learning process, the VGIK has implemented

the Microsoft Learning Gateway, an internet-based learning environment.

Core elements include the assurance of training material availability,

the automation of testing and grading and the creation of a distance-

learning system, all of which combine to create a more rewarding, richer

learning environment for both students and teachers.

Before the implementation of the Learning Gateway, training

information was stored in the form of the unstructured, fragmentary

notes of instructors and course supervisors and, in many cases, unique

training materials were lost when an instructor left the VGIK. Today,

courses can be created, published and accessed through one system,

resulting in a consistent learning experience.

Perhaps the most significant benefit has been delivered through the

Learning Gateway s distance-learning capabilities. Students can now

access course materials from home and communicate with teachers

online in real-time through instant messaging, allowing students to

revisit lecture notes and ask related or unresolved questions; a fact

which has significantly improved the quality of student assignments.

Through VGIK s implementation of the Microsoft Learning Gateway,

Russia s rich history in filmmaking looks set to continue for many

decades to come.

It frequently happens that everything is

clear when you re sitting in a lecture,

but questions arise when it comes

to completing assignments. You can now

pose a question to an instructor through the

messenger and he or she will reply.

VGIK student

17

We know what we want to achieve, but we don t always know how to get there.

Microsoft is facilitating the process of ICT education and training for our teachers and students.

His Excellency Abdul Salaam Al-Joufi, Minister of Education, Republic of Yemen

The Middle East is an economically diverse region that includes both oil-rich economies in the Gulf and countries

that face a scarcity of resources. The biggest economic and social challenges facing the region are youth unemployment,

which ranges from less than 5 per cent to around 30 per cent, and a rapidly growing labour force: the region will

need to create about 4 million jobs a year to accommodate new entrants into the job market. Microsoft is working

with governments, NGOs and others in the region to explore fresh and innovative ideas that will remove barriers to

work and help governments take advantage of the global knowledge economy. Together we are investing in ICT to

streamline government services and building high-quality IT systems in education that will empower youth, women

and the unemployed with the skills and knowledge they need to realise their potential.

Middle e a s t

Bahrain — Pakistan — Turkey

19

BahrainTraining the teachers of the future,for the schools of the future

When, in 2004, the King of Bahrain launched a Schools of the Future project,

with the aim of creating a single school network across the Kingdom of Bahrain,

the central motivation was to deliver a more effective and inspiring educational

environment for the Kingdom s children. It can be easy to forget, however, that

core to getting the most from enhanced IT resources in schools are highly skilled

teachers. The first step in the project, therefore, was to look at training Bahrain s

13,000-strong teaching community.

The goal of the King of Bahrain and the Ministry of Education is an ambitious one.

Textbooks will be transformed into interactive e-books and every classroom will

be provided with the equipment needed to create an effective e-learning

environment. The project marks a fundamental change in the way teaching and

learning takes place in Bahrain s schools; transforming the classroom into an

open, interactive environment based on a wide-ranging use of technology.

Microsoft has been involved in the project since its inception, and is working

with the 66 schools that have been selected by the Ministry of Education to

start implementing the Schools of the Future vision. So far, 1,000 teachers have

been provided with advanced software training that allows them to develop

and use state-of-the-art multimedia teaching materials, in addition to providing

leadership and peer-coaching skills essential for the classrooms and staffrooms

of the future. Ultimately, the Schools of the Future project will roll-out to all of

Bahrain s 200 schools and 13,000 teachers.

The eventual beneficiaries of the project will be Bahrain s schoolchildren and,

beyond that of course, Bahrain s economy. Along the way, however, Bahrain will

also have created one of the most technology proficient teaching communities to

be found anywhere on the planet.

20

Clearly the beneficiaries of this partnership will be not only

the students, but also the companies that go on to employ them,

and indeed the Bahraini economy.

Hi Excellency Dr. Majid Al Nuaimi, Minister for Education, Kingdom of Bahrain

PakistanMeet the world s youngest Microsoft Certified Professional

Arfa Karim is passionate about the opportunity technology can give to the young. Children have a huge advantage when it comes

to technology, she says. Their minds are open and have a great ability to absorb new concepts and ideas. Computers are

redefining the concept of literacy, and it s easier to learn a new language as a child. Her excitement is understandable. Two years

ago, at the age of nine, Arfa become the world s youngest Microsoft Certified Professional, the designation given to ICT experts

who prove their ability to work with Microsoft technologies.

Arfa first set eyes upon a personal computer at her school in Rawalpindi, Pakistan at the age of five and immediately became

fascinated by the potential of this magical box . Her interest ran deeper than a natural inquisitiveness, and she began pestering

her parents for a computer of her own. Encouraged by her clear aptitude, Arfa s father took her to an advanced computer institute close

to their home in the suburbs of Faisalabad. Following just four months of study and work, Arfa passed the required examinations.

Arfa s progress so far has been remarkable but it is her potential that is truly exciting. She is certain that her future lies in software

development, though in which field she is not yet sure. Software can be used to benefit almost every area of society, she says,

it could take me anywhere. Arfa constantly looks at how software might help every aspect of her daily life, whether at school, at

home or even while enjoying her most recent hobby, golf. Who knows, she adds, I might event develop a virtual caddy to help

me select the right club!

Arfa is modest about her own position as a role model, while her personal prospects are exciting, it is the inspiration that she

provides to the young in Pakistan that could be her most valuable contribution.

When children absorb information about technology, it is like they are laying foundations.

As we all know, the stronger a building s foundations, the stronger the building.

It is also a building that might reach higher than we ever thought possible.

Arfa Karim

22

The young training the young

Turkey

In a country where half of the population is less than 30 years of age and the youth unemployment rate is over 20 per cent,

awareness of ICT and an understanding of how it can be used to improve social, cultural and economic opportunities is key.

This is why Microsoft Turkey, in association with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Youth Association for

Habitat and a number of Turkish government ministries and local youth councils, has developed a training programme under the

banner of the Empowerment of Youth for Improved e-Governance in Turkey to increase computer literacy among the country s

young, particularly the disadvantaged and young women.

The model is simple: select 40 computer-literate young people from across Turkey s provinces and train them to provide ICT

training for peers in their hometowns. This first stage — after which 1,600 young people received training — identifies new trainers

and creates a network that, in 2007, will see 40,000 young people across Turkey gain valuable ICT skills and awareness.

The project, part of Microsoft s Unlimited Potential initiative, is designed to create employment opportunities for those that receive

training; people like Vedat Ta demir, a young man whose ambition to become a school teacher was thwarted through a lack of

experience and skills. By becoming a volunteer trainer for the project, Vedat gained the teaching experience and ICT skills that

made him a more attractive candidate. Today, Vedat is working as a school teacher at an elementary school in Mu . The

training also has an impact beyond its core ICT focus: following training at a school in Istanbul, for instance, a young girl found

the confidence and motivation to tackle her illiteracy.

By the end of the project in 2009, more than 100,000 young people across Turkey will have received training; training that will lead

them into more rewarding personal and professional lives.

This training will make a

major contribution to my

chances of finding a job,

because whenever

I apply for a job,

they ask for basic

IT knowledge.

Bilal, aged 17,

Scheme beneficiary

23

The Federation and its National Societies make up the largest humanitarian organisation in the world,

while Microsoft is the world s largest software company.

As two highly competent and well-suited partners, we believe that

we can make a substantial contribution to helping vulnerable people across the world.

Hugh Peterken, head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Information Systems department

Across Africa local communities and governments are grappling with complex challenges caused by extreme poverty

and lack of access to health care, education, technology and economic opportunity. Despite these obstacles, there

are some real success stories and momentum to build on. Kenya and Uganda lead the way in sub-Saharan Africa in

their efforts to contain the spread of AIDS/HIV and in many regions parity between girls and boys in primary school

enrolment has been achieved, or nearly so. The New Partnership for Africa s Development provides an important

framework for more and deeper public-private partnership initiatives to support growth and development at local

and regional levels. At Microsoft we share that commitment to helping address Africa s key growth and development

priorities, including faster progress towards the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. Our efforts focus on

partnerships to build the local knowledge economy: enabling ICT access, skills development and the creation of

localised content for African communities, teachers, students, governments and businesses.

AfricaKenya — Pan-Afr ica — Rwanda

25

KenyaAn unlikely partnership brings opportunity to Kenya s poorest schoolchildren

In Mukuru, a disadvantaged neighbourhood near Nairobi in Kenya —where $12 a

month is a sizeable income and one in 10 children will die of AIDS before the age

of five — education is seen as the key to a better future for the region s children.

Three unlikely partners have come together to change one school and, in doing

so, are encouraging the Kenyan Ministry of Education to change teaching

methods in schools across the country.

St. Bakhita School was like many others in the poorest parts of Kenya: under

resourced, under equipped and overcrowded. British Airways, Microsoft and

Revlon (part of the cosmetics giant Colomer) joined forces to transform the

school through the creation of a state-of-the art hairdressing salon and a

fully-equipped IT laboratory as part of the skill centre at the school. The hope

is that by providing an education based on both practical skills and training in

ICT, the children could one day find employment and pass on their own learning

to their parents and families, helping the entire community.

The opening of the refurbished school — after 48 hours of hard work — was an

emotional moment for all involved. In the computer lab, though it was the first

time that many of the children had seen, let alone used, a computer, within

seconds of being taught how to use a mouse they were discovering a world

beyond their entire life experience. The learning hasn t stopped since.

Teachers are now teaching in the way that they had always dreamed of, and are

re-shaping the curriculum and students education around the ICT resources,

making vital lessons — such as those related to reproduction and cleanliness —more

effective and compelling. Furthermore, teachers are training teachers, creating

a sustainable model, and the Kenyan Ministry of Education has expressed a

desire to change teaching methods for all Kenyan schools based on the

St. Bakhita model.This is the most rewarding thing I have

ever done. A teacher made a speech

describing how she had come into

education and was frustrated by the lack

of resources and the poverty of the

children. She said we had rekindled her desire and

given her the ability to teach in

the way she had always dreamed of.

The trainers were crying afterwards.

Jim Wynn, former Partners in Learning regional lead for

Europe, Middle East and Africa

26

Pan-Africa Information technology in schools across Africa

Providing Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to schools across Africa is a challenge that the New Partnership for

Africa s Development (NEPAD) and its partners believes is a central part of its vision for 21st-century Africa. Microsoft has been a

member of NEPAD s Information Society Partnership for Africa s Development (ISPAD) for three years, a project that covers

e-Parliament, e-Tourism and the flagship e-Schools initiative. E-Schools will see primary and secondary schools across Africa

provided with ICT and connected to each other via the internet, transforming education in even the most isolated rural schools.

As part of the initial roll-out, Microsoft is leading a consortium that is delivering an appropriate technology solution — including

software, services and hardware — to three schools in each of eight countries, including Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda,

Senegal, Cameroon, Lesotho and Mauritius. Participating schools all display degrees of diversity, in terms of size, gender, geography

(rural and urban) and levels of infrastructure (i.e. schools without grid electricity). Three additional consortia are undertaking similar

programmes and, by the completion of the NEPAD e-Schools initiative, it is estimated that 670,000 schools will have been equipped

across the African continent.

Access to technology will increase computer literacy among Africa s children, broadening their horizons and future prospects.

Internet connections will allow the rapid and wide distribution of topical educational resources of a consistent quality and will enable

the development of wider social ties through and the availability of broad and deep information to support the educational process.

In the words of a home science teacher from Menengai High School, Kenya, Teaching is now fun. I take my students to the ICT

lab, we search and download a menu of their choice from and we go and try it.

Broad access to ICT and the resources it delivers benefits not only to the schoolchildren of Africa, but the communities in which

they live and the future of the continent as a whole.

Look at the way NEPAD has made

my work easy. All my students records

are readily available, their photos,

their guardians and parents.

I simply click a button and go straight

to the record I want; fees balance,

address of parent or guardian,

telephone number, performance records,

etc. I don t have to look for

the bursar or teachers.

I am so happy!

Principle, Mumbi Girls School

28

Building an ICT-based strategy for growth

Rwanda

29

Rwanda’s Vision 2020 is one of the boldest in Africa. With its focus on

economic regeneration through education, entrepreneurship and

investment in vital infrastructure to overcome its landlocked

geography, Rwanda aims to become a knowledge-based,

middle-income economy over the next decade. Alongside the

continued emphasis on reconciliation, Rwanda is producing many

success stories in health, education and economic growth. In this

journey, Rwanda’s people are its greatest asset - Rwanda is Africa s

most densely populated country, with 42 per cent of its 8.6 million

population aged under 14 and six out of every 10 citizens living below

the poverty line. The government therefore sees the role of ICT in

creating a knowledge-based Rwandan economy as absolutely essential.

The main policy instrument for the country s transformation is the

National Information and Communications Infrastructure (NICI)

policy, the cornerstone of a rolling, four-part integrated socio-

economic and ICT policy to be delivered over a 20-year period. The

Rwandan government invited Microsoft to participate in the second

phase of the NICI programme; the NICI II plan.

Consultants from Microsoft and its partners worked together with the

government to develop a five-year country-wide framework covering

key government ministries as well as the private sector. The plan

contains more than 100 proposed ICT projects that will help the

government achieve its public- and private-sector goals of delivering

government services to Rwandan citizens more efficiently and

effectively and developing an indigenous IT industry. Proposed

projects include those related to health, education and the economy

as a whole. Improving the distribution of drugs to rural healthcare

centres, training primary and secondary school teachers in ICT skills

and encouraging women to create cottage industries are just a

few examples.

Rwanda has taken the first steps on a long journey to a new,

knowledge-based economy. If implemented successfully, the country

can look forward to a future as a bright example to the whole

African continent.

We re using ICT as an instrument to enhance

national unity and reconciliation, to strengthen

the participatory justice system, empower women

and youth, and as a basis for consolidation of our

decentralisation programme and democratic

governance. We aspire to transform Rwanda

into a technological and communications hub

within the Great Lakes region of Africa by

providing low cost and accessible means

to communicate with the region and beyond.

Engineer Albert Butare, Ministry of Infrastructure,

Government of Rwanda

Innovation is the heartbeat of our industry, and if we aren t innovating fast enough, big enough,

and new enough, we won t succeed. It s the same for Europe.

By innovation we mean R&D and science obviously, but at Microsoft we also mean innovating to help solve

some of the big challenges in our societies — including growth, employment and inclusion.

Steve Ballmer, CEO, Microsoft Corporation

Promoting innovation in the development and use of technology is a top priority for governments across EMEA as

they strive to harness the opportunities and meet the social and economic challenges of the 21st-century knowledge

economy. Working with industry, public sector and academic partners and taking inspiration from our customers,

Microsoft s goal is to stimulate a broad IT ecosystem, enabling opportunities for technologies to come to life through

new ideas that are changing the way we live and work. Across the EMEA region, we demonstrate our commitment

to innovation through collaborative programmes as well as through investment in pure and applied research and

development. In EMEA, Microsoft has more than 30 R&D-related facilities and 1,000 employees dedicated to

technology innovation and software development, from the earliest concept to product implementation. We also

have a range of research and innovation partnerships with universities and local governments across the region.

Some of these investments are yielding benefits today, with software breakthroughs in critical areas such as security

and reliability, while others will transform the way we use computers years from now; but they all stem from our

optimism about the future of computing and our commitment to push the state of the art forward.

Innovation i n E M E A

Italy — Germany — Pan-European

31

ItalyAdvancing the development of effective treatment of illnesses through technology

The fundamental goal of the Centre for Computational and Systems Biology in

Trento, Italy, is to contribute to the enhancement of the life sciences through

the implementation of theories and computational tools, in order to improve

people s quality of life and the protection of the environment. How it does this

is quite ambitious and complex. The Centre aims to define a language able to

encode the interaction rules of molecules inside biological cells, which might

also be understood by computers.

The definition of this language of life will enable the study of living biological

systems, aided by computers to deliver fast and accurate analysis. Computer-

generated models of living beings should bring rapid progress in new scientific

discoveries, resulting in a significant impact on society and medicine. This will

include a better understanding of serious and common illnesses, identification

of new therapies and development of advanced vaccines.

The centre, launched at the end of 2005, is a joint venture between the

University of Trento, central and local government and Microsoft Research

Cambridge. Research in biology — including the study of the billions of interac-

tions between molecules within the human cellular structure — benefits

from the use of innovative computational techniques. In addition, a greater

understanding of how biological entities exchange information, interact and

communicate, will enable the creation of new techniques for the development

of software, so that the computational systems of the future will be more

reliable and efficient.

An example of the centre s work is its partnership with the University of

Catanzaro in Italy s Calabria region, an area of the country with a high incidence

of breast cancer. Researchers at the centre, in collaboration with Catanzaros

team, are using data from Calabria in relation to the mutation of some cellular

proteins, which could be the cause of breast cancer, to build models of

dynamic evolution of cells. The simulation of the cell development should

improve the understanding of the causes of the illness. The centre s work will

lead to more focused laboratory research and development leading to improved

cancer treatment and, hopefully, a cure.

32

Technological innovation is

perhaps the greatest challenge facing

today s developed economies,

our country in particular.

This initiative represents a significant

step in research and industrial

development right at the intersection

of two areas with enormous potential,

those of life sciences and digital technology.

It will have important fallout for science,

industry and employment.

Lucio Stanca, Former Italian

Minister of Innovation and Technology

To Frank Siegemund, senior researcher at the European Microsoft Innovation Centre, the cameras embedded into almost every

mobile phone sold today are under utilised and their potential as an alternative method of data capture is untapped. Accordingly,

Siegemund and his team embarked on a process to develop applications that would see cameras support new forms of user input

in mobile devices. Despite working at the cutting edge of technology innovation, it was a process that started, as it always does,

with team brainstorms and initial concepts and designs scribbled on paper and whiteboards.

Inspiration for innovation can come from anywhere, very often the team s own personal experience of using existing technology.

Inspired by the insight that many users are prompted to begin an internet search through reading written material — a newspaper,

magazine or book — the team specialised on mobile communications and devices looked at how an embedded camera could be

used to capture written text and use this as the basis for an online search.

Through live video stream processing, the application automatically highlights the words and phrases in written material focused

on by the mobile device s embedded camera. The user — without needing any additional equipment or expertise than their existing

knowledge of their mobile device — can then select the relevant text before using the same device to immediately search the

internet for related information.

The mobile nature of the application is particularly useful. The motivation for an internet search can, after all, come at any time

and in any location, often far from a stationary internet-connected computer. With the embedded camera application, users can

search at the moment of inspiration and greatest use, whether this is a desire for background information, the need for a stock

price or to translate a foreign word or phrase.

It is very important to us to make

a valuable contribution to the European

economy. In the context of development

programmes sponsored by the European Commission and

the German Ministry of Education and Research, we are

instrumental in transforming research outcomes into

superior systems, products and standards.

Dr. G tz Brasche, Programme Director and Spokesperson

of the European Microsoft Innovation Centre

34

GermanyMaking familiar technology more useful for everyone

Finding the funding to drive SME innovation

Pan-European

For many small and medium enterprises, the main priority is maximising economic growth and development, which can leave

little time to focus on innovation. This means that many European SMEs are missing out on a share of an estimated 117 billion

of funding available through thousands of grants from the EU for technology-related projects, created as part of the EU s goal to

build the most dynamic and competitive knowledge-driven economy by 2010.

Lack of awareness is a key reason that SMEs across Europe aren t taking advantage of the funds available, in addition to difficulties

in navigating the often complex application process. As part of a collaborative effort, Microsoft is leading the European Union

Grants Advisor (EUGA) programme to help SMEs, as well as local and regional governments, to better understand and use EU

funding opportunities at the international, national, and regional level. Through a dedicated EUGA website, business owners are

able to find information about EU funding, can start to ascertain which funds they may be eligible for and find assistance with the

fund application process.

Unicorn Group, a leading ICT and software development company in the Czech Republic, is an example of one organisation that has

benefited from the initiative. Through its Unicorn Hatchery, the company recruits students and recent university graduates and,

during six-week training programmes, prepares them for careers in software development and project management. Working with

a EUGA consultant, Unicorn was able to identify and apply for a Profese Specific Training grant; a special training grant used to

cover the cost of the training itself, its development and its project management. In May 2006, the awarding body granted Unicorn

43,000; a grant which will allow the training of 75 new recruits over the next two years.

We weren t aware that we were eligible for financial support.

We are very grateful to EUGA for alerting us to this opportunity

and helping us prepare our application. The programme now has

the professional structure we needed.

Vit Stinka, Managing Director, Production Stream H, Unicorn

35

36

GermanyReduzieren des Verwaltungsaufwands f r bessere Patientenbetreuung

Jedes Jahr behandelt das StadtkrankenhausHanau in Deutschland 27.000 station re undambulante Patienten. Die prim re Aufgabe derMitarbeiter, darunter rund 900 Angestellte von

rzten bis zu Verwaltungsmitarbeitern, unterscheidet sich nicht von der aller anderenKrankenh user weltweit: den Patienten diebestm gliche medizinische Behandlung zukommen zu lassen. Ein entscheidenderGesichtspunkt bei der Erf llung dieser Aufgabeist eine Reduzierung des Verwaltungsaufwandsin Bezug auf Zeit und Kosten. Die Systeme, diedie Aufgaben des Krankenhauses unterst tzen,spielen dabei eine wesentliche Rolle.

Eine Verf gbarkeit des Systems 24 Stunden proTag, sieben Tage pro Woche, 365 Tage pro Jahrist absolut essenziell f r ein Krankenhaus. DasStadtkrankenhaus Hanau, das mit 805 Bettenausgestattet ist, f hrt detaillierte digitaleAufzeichnungen ber alle station ren undambulanten Patienten, inklusive fortlaufendaktualisierter pers nlicher Daten und Details

ber Erkrankungen und Behandlungen. Wennein Patient eingeliefert wird, der dringendmedizinische Hilfe ben tigt, m ssen die rzteund das Pflegepersonal in Hanau sofort aufseine medizinische Akte zugreifen k nnen,damit dem Patienten die angemesseneVersorgung und Behandlung zuteil werdenkann. Jeder Ausfall des Systems kann zurUnterbrechung der Arbeit der medizinischenMitarbeiter f hren.

Die bestehende IT-Infrastruktur desStadtkrankenhauses Hanau war nicht in derLage, die geforderte Ausfallsicherheit zugew hrleisten und die Anforderungen desKrankenhauses in Bezug auf Datenspeicherungzu erf llen. Daher entschied das Krankenhaus,eine auf einer Microsoft-Plattform basierendegesch ftskritische SAP-Anwendung zu verwenden. Die Bereitstellung der L sungkonnte ohne Unterbrechung des t glichenBetriebs des Krankenhauses vorgenommenwerden, und nun verf gt das Krankenhaus berein System, das eine vertraute Oberfl che bietet und einfach zu verwenden ist.

Das einzige, was f r einen Patienten eine Rollespielen sollte, ist, dass er die bestm glichemedizinische Versorgung erh lt. Um dies zuerreichen, und um maximale Ressourcen f r dieklinische Versorgung aufwenden zu k nnen,muss das Krankenhaus die effektivsten und effizientesten Systeme und Technologien verwenden. Die Patienten desStadtkrankenhauses Hanau k nnen ruhigenGewissens gesunden, wissen sie doch, dass das Krankenhaus genau dies tut.

Aufgrund der optimierten IT-Verwaltung sinddie Betriebskosten um gesch tzte 35 Prozentgesunken.

H seyin G kceoglu, IT ManagerStadtkrankenhaus Hanau

AustriaDie Obdachlosen bei einem Neuanfangunterst tzen

Nachdem sie f nf Jahre in Wien auf der Stra§egelebt hatte, konnte sich die 42-j hrige Monikanicht mehr vorstellen, dass sie je wieder einnormales Leben f hren w rde. Dank neunerHAUS und Microsoft kann manMonika heutzutage jedoch um Punkt 7 Uhr an ihrem Arbeitsplatz als Assistentin in einerDruckerei antreffen. Der kostenlose Kurs f rInformations- und Kommunikationstechnologie,den Monika besucht hatte, half ihr nicht nur,eine Stelle zu finden, er gab ihr auch ihrSelbstvertrauen und ihre Selbstachtung zur ck.

Ich kann mir heute ein Leben ohne Arbeit garnicht mehr vorstellen , so Monika, die jetzteiner positiveren Zukunft entgegensieht.

Der 1998 gegr ndete Verein neunerHAUS, der seinen Sitz in Wien hat, bietet eine sichereUmgebung f r Obdachlose. Es geht beineunerHAUS um mehr als nur um eineUnterkunft f r die Obdachlosen auf denStra§en der Hauptstadt sterreichs.neunerHAUS f rdert auch ihre Gesundheit undihre soziale und berufliche Integration. Vor zwei Jahren baute Microsoft sterreich imRahmen des Unlimited Potential-Programmsgemeinsam mit dem neunerHAUS einen leerenRaum in einem der Wohnheime in einComputerlabor um, stellte die finanziellenMittel und die Software zur Verf gung und warbei der Beschaffung von Hardware und M belnbehilflich. Dar ber hinaus setzte sich dasUnternehmen daf r ein, dass neunerHAUS vonder Regierung unterst tzt wurde.

Dank dieser Mittel kann neunerHAUS nebenKursen f r Bewerbungsschreiben undBewerbungsgespr che auch Informations- undKommunikationstechnologiekurse f r diebetreuten obdachlosen Mitb rger anbieten,wodurch diese den anerkannten Europ ischenComputerf hrerschein ECDL erwerben k nnen.So k nnen diese ihr l ngst verlorenesSelbstbewusstsein und Selbstwertgef hl wiedererlangen.

Durch den Kurs k nnen die Obdachlosen ihreersten, kleinen Schritte in eine bessere Zukunftmachen. Andere, wie Monika, haben alsErgebnis des Kurses Vollzeit- und Teilzeitstellengefunden; das Projekt soll nun in ganz Wienangeboten werden, sodass noch vieleObdachlose der Stadt davon profitieren k nnen.

Ich h tte nie gedacht, dass ich in meinemLeben noch einmal etwas lernen w rde.

Monika W., neunerHAUS-Bewohnerin

ItalyGaranzia di un servizio postale efficiente in tutta Italia

Poste Italiane, l azienda che gestisce il serviziopostale nazionale in Italia, un organizzazionedi dimensioni notevoli che vanta la presenza di 13.500 uffici postali e 5.776 uffici di recapitoe pu contare su 41.000 veicoli di trasporto, 15 collegamenti aerei quotidiani e 154.000dipendenti. Costretto ad affrontare la liberalizzazione del settore, il gruppo PosteItaliane si trovato a operare in un mercatosempre pi competitivo e a fronteggiare lanecessit di un miglioramento in termini di efficienza per mantenere il proprio ruolo di servizio postale principale per gli utenti privatie le aziende italiani. Per affrontare il problema,l azienda ha avviato un programma di rinnovamento tecnologico, denominato Nuova Rete, il cui elemento fondamentale costituito da un sistema postale automatizzatoo SAC (Sistema Automazione Corrispondenza),basato su tecnologie Microsoft.

Lobiettivo del sistema SAC era quello diaumentare l efficienza dei centri postali automatizzati, di ridurre l intervento manuale e di convertire le unit produttive in strutturetecnologicamente avanzate in cui macchinarisofisticati avrebbero gestito grandi quantit dicorrispondenza. Se da una parte la raccoltadecentralizzata e la rete di distribuzione degliuffici costituivano un vantaggio dal punto divista logistico, dall altra impedivano ai responsabili dell amministrazione di conosceretempestivamente i dati pi aggiornati relativialle prestazioni, che costituivano informazionidi importanza cruciale per le decisioni aziendalichiave che avrebbero determinato il successodell organizzazione in un mercato liberalizzato.

Grazie al sistema SAC, il gruppo Poste Italianeha ottimizzato i processi aziendali in unambiente operativo estremamente complesso. I responsabili dell amministrazione non devonopi preoccuparsi di prendere decisioni basatesu dati aziendali incompleti e, grazie alla visionein tempo reale delle attivit svolte a tutti i livelli operativi, il rendimento giornaliero notevolmente migliorato. Su base aziendale,l utilizzo del nuovo sistema SAC ha inoltreincrementato il livello di produttivit .Sfruttando la possibilit di conoscere i datiaziendali in modo mirato e tempestivo, tutti i dipendenti, a ogni livello, sono in gradodi effettuare scelte pi fondate. Oltre a questirisultati, il personale ha l opportunit di acquisire nuove competenze, migliorandosi intermini di professionalit e sperimentando giornalmente un ambiente di lavoro pi stimolante. In definitiva, la consegna della corrispondenza in tutta Italia ha fatto registrareun aumento in termini di efficienza, con notevoli vantaggi sia per gli utenti privati che per le aziende.

Grazie alla nuova tecnologia, trascorriamomeno tempo a pensare al passato e dedichiamo pi tempo alle attivit correnti ealle sfide che l azienda deve affrontare .

Paolo Sardoni, responsabile del progetto SAC,Poste Italiane

Western europe

37

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39

RwandaConstruire une strat gie bas e sur lesTechnologies de l Information et de laCommunication (TIC) pour le d veloppement.

La Vision 2020 du Rwanda est l une des plus courageuses d Afrique. Ax e sur la r g n ration

conomique travers l ducation, l esprit dentreprise et l investissement dans des infrastructures vitales, elle vise surmonter la position g ographique de ce pays sans littoral. Le Rwanda pour objectif de devenir une

conomie bas e sur la connaissance et des revenusmoyens au cours de la prochaine d cennie. Tout en continuant mettre l accent sur la r conciliation, le Rwanda signe de nombreux succ s dans lesdomaines de la sant , de l ducation et de la croissance conomique.

Dans ce voyage, les rwandais repr sentent l l ment le plus pr cieux du pays. En effet, leRwanda est le pays d Afrique le plus dens mentpeupl avec 8.6 millions de personnes dont 42%sont g s de moins de 14 ans et 6 citoyens sur 10vivent sous le seuil de pauvret . Dans ce contexte,le gouvernement consid re le r le des Technologiesde l Information et de la Communication (TIC) dansla cr ation d une conomie bas e sur la connaissance comme absolument essentielle.

L instrument principal de la politique de transformation du pays est la politiqued Infrastructure Nationale en mati re deCommunication et d Information (INIC), pierreangulaire d une politique des TIC et socio-

conomique int gr e en quatre parties qui seraappliqu e sur une p riode d environ 20 ans. Le gouvernement rwandais a invit Microsoft participer la deuxi me phase du programme TIC :le plan INIC II.

Les consultants de Microsoft et ses partenaires travaillent en collaboration avec le gouvernementafin de d velopper un cadre national de 5 ans pourles minist res clefs ainsi que le secteur priv . Ceplan contient plus de 100 projets TIC qui aiderontle gouvernement atteindre les objectifs qu il s estfix dans les secteurs priv s et publics : fournir desservices aux citoyens rwandais de fa on plus efficace et effective et d velopper une industrie ITnationale. Les projets propos s incluent des actionsen rapport avec la sant , l ducation et l conomieen g n ral. Am liorer la distribution de m dicaments aux centres m dicaux ruraux, formerles enseignants du primaire et du secondaire auxcomp tences TIC et encourager les femmes cr erdes industries domicile en sont quelques exemples.

Le Rwanda a entreprit les premiers pas d un longvoyage vers une nouvelle conomie bas e sur laconnaissance. Si le plan est mis en ˇuvre avec succ s, le pays pourra esp rer un futur qui fera delui un brillant exemple pour toute la nation africaine.

˙ Nous utilisons les TIC comme un instrumentpour renforcer l unit et la r conciliation nationales, la participation au syst me judiciaire,donner du pouvoir aux femmes et aux jeunes etcomme base pour consolider notre programmede d centralisation et de gouvernance d mocratique. Nous aspirons transformer leRwanda en centre technologique et de communication dans la r gion des Grands LacsdAfrique en fournissant la r gion et au-del des outils de communication bas prix et accessibles. ¨

Albert Butare, Ing nieur, Minist re desInfrastructures, Gouvernement du Rwanda.

ItalyProgresso nello sviluppo di trattamenti efficacicontro la malattia grazie alla tecnologia

Lobiettivo fondamentale del Centro di biologiacomputazionale e dei sistemi di Trento quello dicontribuire al progresso delle scienze naturalimediante l’implementazione di teorie e strumentidi calcolo al fine di accrescere la qualit della vitae migliorare la protezione dell’ambiente. Lemodalit di realizzazione del progetto sono sicuramente ambiziose e complesse, poich ilCentro si prefigge la definizione di un linguaggioin grado di codificare le regole di interazione trale molecole all’interno delle cellule biologiche, chepossono essere comprese anche dai computer.

La definizione di questo linguaggio della vitaconsentir di studiare i sistemi biologici viventi,sfruttando la capacit dei computer di eseguireanalisi accurate in tempi rapidi. I modelli degliesseri viventi generati dal computer dovrebberoconsentire rapidi progressi nelle nuove scopertescientifiche, che avranno un impatto significativosulla societ e lo studio della medicina e determineranno un livello di comprensione pielevato delle cause delle malattie gravi e di quellecomuni, nonch la possibilit di individuare nuoveterapie e di sviluppare vaccini pi efficaci.

Inaugurato alla fine del 2005, il Centro statorealizzato dall’Universit di Trento in collaborazione con le istituzioni nazionali e localie con il laboratorio di Microsoft Research diCambridge. La ricerca in campo biologico, chestudia - tra le altre cose - i miliardi di interazionitra le molecole all’interno della struttura cellulareumana, potr avvalersi dell’ausilio di tecnichecomputazionali estremamente innovative. Lamaggiore comprensione delle modalit di scambio delle informazioni, di interazione e dicomunicazione tra entit biologiche consentircontemporaneamente la creazione di nuove tecniche di sviluppo del software, in grado di rendere pi affidabili ed efficienti i sistemi di calcolo del futuro.

Un esempio di ricerca eseguita dal Centro costituito dalla collaborazione con l Universit diCatanzaro, in una regione italiana — la Calabria -in cui l’incidenza del cancro particolarmente elevata. I ricercatori del Centro, in collaborazionecon il team di Catanzaro, stanno valutando i datiprovenienti dalla Calabria in relazione alla mutazione di alcune proteine cellulari, chepotrebbero costituire la causa del cancro al seno,per generare modelli di evoluzione dinamica dellecellule. La simulazione dello sviluppo delle cellulepotrebbero accrescere la comprensione dellecause della malattia. Gli studi condotti nel Centroconsentiranno di eseguire ricerche di laboratoriopi mirate, con vantaggi per il trattamento e,auspicabilmente, per la cura del cancro.

L innovazione in campo tecnologico probabilmente la sfida pi importante che ipaesi sviluppati, il nostro in particolare, devono affrontare. Questa iniziativa rappresenta un passo significativo nel progresso dello sviluppo industriale e dellaricerca e si pone al centro di due aree, quelladelle scienze naturali e della tecnologia digitale,caratterizzate da potenzialit notevoli, conripercussioni positive in termini scientifici,industriali e di opportunit di lavoro .

Lucio Stanca, Ministro per l innovazione e le tecnologie nella precedente legislatura

GermanyVertraute Technologie f r alle n tzlicher gestalten, und das jeden Tag

F r Frank Siegemund, Seniorforscher amEurop ischen Microsoft Innovations Center, werden die Kameras, die man heutzutage in beinahe jedem Mobiltelefon findet, nochlange nicht optimal genutzt. Die M glichkeiten Kameras als alternativeMethode der Datenerfassung einzusetzen liegen beispielsweise noch weitestgehend brach.Daher begannen Siegemund und sein Teamdamit, Anwendungen f r Mobilfunkger te zuentwickeln, in denen die integrierten Kamerasneue Formen der Benutzereingabe unterst tzen.

Der zugrunde liegende Design- undEntwicklungsprozess begann auch hier mitBrainstorming-Sitzungen und ersten Konzepten,die auf Papier und Wei§wandtafeln skizziert wurden.

Inspiration f r Innovation kann von berall kommen; sehr oft sind die pers nlichenErfahrungen des Teams mit bereits vorhandenerTechnologie der Ausl ser f r die Entdeckungneuer Konzepte. Inspiriert von der Erkenntnis,dass viele Benutzer durch das Lesen vonPrintmedien wie Tageszeitungen, Illustriertenoder B chern zu einer Internetsuche veranlasstwerden, untersuchte das aufMobilfunktechnologie spezialisierte Team, wieMobilfunktelefone und deren Kameras verwendetwerden k nnen, um geschriebenen Text zu erfassen. Die so eingelesenen Daten dienen dann als Grundlage f r eine Online-Suche.

In einem auf dem Mobilfunktelefon in Echtzeitanalysierten Video-Strom markiert dieAnwendung dabei automatisch die W rter undWortgruppen, auf die ein Anwender mit seinemMobilfunktelefon zeigt. Der wesentliche Vorteilist eine vereinfachte Nutzerinteraktion, da derBenutzer Text nicht mehr manuell ber dieTastatur des Telefons eingeben muss. Nachdem ein Wort oder eine Wortgruppe ausgew hlt wurde, wird das Mobiltelefonbenutzt, um im Internet nach verwandtenInformationen zu suchen.

Eben diese mobile Einsatzm glichkeit macht dieAnwendung ber die vereinfachte Interaktionhinaus so n tzlich. Die Motivation f r eineInternet-Suche kann schlie§lich jederzeit und an jedem Ort entstehen, oft weit entfernt voneinem station ren Computer mitInternetverbindung. Mit der hier skizziertenAnwendung k nnen Nutzer sofort dann eineSuche durchf hren, wenn sie dazu inspiriert werden und den gr §ten Nutzen daraus ziehen - egal ob sie nun spezifischeHintergrundinformationen suchen, dringendeinen Aktienkurs aufrufen oder ein fremdsprachigesWort oder einen Satz bersetzen m chten.

F r uns ist es sehr wichtig, dass wir einen wertvollen Beitrag zur europ ischen Wirtschaftleisten. Im Rahmen von Entwicklungsprogrammen,die von der EU-Kommission und demBundesministerium f r Bildung und Forschungunterst tzt werden, sind wir wesentlich daranbeteiligt, Forschungsergebnisse in berlegeneSysteme, Produkte und Standards umzusetzen.

Dr. G tz Brasche, Programmdirektor andSprecher des Europ ischen Microsoft InnovationCenter

InnovationAfrica

40

People, Operations and FacilitiesMicrosoft beginnings in EMEA: Microsoft UK was established in 1982, the first office outside the US, followed by Microsoft France

and Microsoft Germany in 1983.

Subsidiaries: More than 60 offices and subsidiaries operate in 61 countries.

Employees: More than 13,000 people work for the organisation, representing seven business groups.

Regional coverage: Microsoft EMEA offers services and products in 139 countries and territories.

Manufacturing, distribution and logistics: Supported by the European Operations Centre (EOC), manufacturing operations

were set up in County Dublin, Ireland, in 1986.

Product localisation: Microsoft Office is available in 29 languages spoken in the EMEA region, as well as 20 additional languages via

downloadable language interface packs (LIPs). Microsoft Windows is available in 19 regional languages, with 34 additional LIP languages.

At the European Product Development Centre (EPDC) in Dublin, Ireland, Microsoft developers and linguists specialise in 50 languages

and dialects to create these local-language products.

R&D: Investing in the FutureMicrosoft invests approximately 16 per cent of its annual revenues into innovation-related activities, amounting to more than US $6.5 billion

worldwide during the 2006 fiscal year. Few other companies —in any industry —make such a significant investment in R&D. The company

operates numerous facilities in the region dedicated to technology innovation and software development:

Microsoft Research Centres, whose mandate is to develop new technologies through long-term blue sky research as well as applied,

product-focused research —UK

Microsoft Development Centres, where Microsoft products are developed and enhanced —Denmark, Ireland, Portugal, Serbia, Switzerland, UK

Microsoft Innovation Centres, where the company works with industry partners and governments to share expertise and speed time

to deployment, time to market —Croatia, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Poland, South Africa, Spain

Microsoft Technology Centres, where enterprise customers can test their applications and obtain support and advice from Microsoft

engineers —Denmark, France, Germany, UAE, UK

Connecting With Customers and Building PartnershipsCustomer and partner ecosystem: There are more than 250,000 Microsoft partners in EMEA including over 97,000 resellers, distributors and

systems integrators, 33,000 independent software vendors and 109,000 software developers registered with the Microsoft Developer

Network. Across EMEA, 3,500 Microsoft Business Solutions partners develop solutions for SMEs. This ecosystem serves over 20 million small

and medium-sized enterprise (SME) customers in the region.

Public sector: Microsoft EMEA partners with local, national and regional governments and administrative bodies to help achieve public

service objectives, ranging from e-government and e-democracy to digital communities.

Education: Through the Partners in Learning programme, Microsoft EMEA collaborates with schools and universities to enable better integration

of technology into the curriculum. To date, Partners in Learning agreements have been signed with 64 national governments in the region.

Non-governmental organisations and charities: Through the Unlimited Potential (UP) programmes, Microsoft EMEA partners with organisa-

tions to improve lifelong learning for disadvantaged youth and adults through community-based technology and learning centres. Unlimited

Potential supports 183 projects in EMEA with over 130 partners serving more than 7,000 Community Technology Centres in 45 countries across

the region. Over the next five years, Microsoft will commit up to $1 billion to Unlimited Potential partnerships worldwide.

Participating in Business and Industry DialogueMission: Responsible leadership through industry partnership and dialogue

Industry association membership and participation: Business Software Alliance (BSA), CompTIA, CSR Europe, the European Information,

Communications and Consumer Electronics Technology Association (EICTA), eLIG, European Policy Centre (EPC), EU Committee of the

American Chamber of Commerce, Initiative for Software Choice, International Communications Round Table (ICRT), and the World Economic

Forum s Global Digital Divide Initiative Taskforce (GDDI).

For a complete list of the organisations in which Microsoft participates in the region, please consult www.microsoft.com/emea/associations

Facts & Figures

Partners featured in Realising Potential in Europe, the Middle East and Africa III

Western europe

Hanau City Hospital

NeunerHAUS

Poste Italiane

Centra l and eastern europe

Latvian Information Technology and Telecommunications Association (LITKA)

Doukas School

S. A. Gerasimov Russian National State Institute of Cinematography (VGIK)

Middle east

Kingdom of Bahrain s Ministry of Education

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

Youth Association for Habitat

Afr ica

Kenyan Ministry of Education

St. Bakhita School, Kenya

New Partnership for Africa s Development (NEPAD)

Government of Rwanda

Innovat ion in EMEA

European Microsoft Innovation Centre

Centre for Computational and Systems Biology, at University of Trento

Unicorn Group

Partners

41

Photographers and acknowledgements

Carmen Arisa

NeunerHAUS, Austria

Anton Mamichev, CIO, Russian National State Institute

of Cinematography

Youth Association for Habitat, Turkey

Photography

Front cover

Photo shows researchers at Microsoft Research Centre at

the University of Trento in Italy.

Western europe

Main photo shows everyday scene at Hanau City Hospital

in Germany. Small photos show (from top) researchers at

Microsoft Research Centre at the University of Trento in Italy;

ICT equipment at Hanau City Hospital in Germany.

Germany

Photos show IT Manager at Hanau City Hospital,

medical staff facilities and a young hospital patient.

Austria

Photos show beneficiaries of the Microsoft-sponsored ICT

training course offered by the neunerHAUS association, which

provides a safe and secure environment for homeless people.

Italy

Photo shows a Poste Italiane office.

Central and eastern europe

Main photo shows beneficiaries of a Microsoft supported ICT

training scheme. Small photos show (from top) participant

from a Microsoft-supported ICT programme and

a representative from Microsoft Research.

Latvia

Photos depict training initiative participants.

Greece

Main photo shows Doukas School General Manager and

other school representatives receiving a donation.

Small photos show Doukas School General Manager

who pioneered the Lysias Competition and school children

enjoying sports activities.

Russia

Photo shows students at the VGIK (S.A. Gerasimov Russian

National State Institute of Cinematography).

Middle east

Main photo shows young middle-eastern schoolboy.

Small photos show (from top) Microsoft Certified Professional

Arfa Karim from Pakistan; middle-eastern schoolchildren.

Bahrain

Main photo shows middle-eastern schoolboy. Small photo

shows ICT training environment.

Pakistan

Photos show the world s youngest Microsoft Certified

Professional, Arfa Karim and her father.

Turkey

Photo shows trainer and beneficiaries of an initiative run

by the Youth Association for Habitat and Agenda 21 and

supported by Turkish government ministries, the United

Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Microsoft.

Africa

Main photo shows participants of a Microsoft-supported

programme. Small photos show young beneficiaries of

Microsoft-sponsored programmes.

Kenya

Photos show pupils and students from the refurbished

St. Bakhita School.

Pan-Africa

Main photo shows President Kagame of Rwanda watching

a demo of e-Schools. Small photos show beneficiaries of

NEPAD e-Schools initiative supported by Microsoft.

Rwanda

Photo shows beneficiaries of Microsoft-supported ICT

training programme.

Innovation in EMEA

Main photo shows researcher at Microsoft Research Centre

at the University of Trento in Italy. Small photos show

(from top) members of Microsoft Research Centres in Italy

and Germany.

Italy

All photos show researchers at Microsoft Research Centre

at the University of Trento in Italy.

Germany

Photos show researchers at the European Microsoft

Innovation Centre in Aachen Germany.

Pan-Regional

Photo shows representatives from Unicorn Group,

a company supported through the EUGA programme.

This publication was produced by the Microsoft EMEA

corporate communications team in partnership with

Edelman. For further information please contact Derrick

Fennell: derrickf@microsoft.com

Photography

42

Age really doesn’t matter. At 92, I now have the ability to learn much more than I did before...

Don Holloway, beneficiary of Microsoft-supported IT training courses run by UK association, Age Concern