Microsoft Student Partners

The Microsoft Student Partners is a worldwide educational program to sponsor students majoring in disciplines related to technology. The MSP program attempts to enhance students' employability by offering training in skills not usually taught in academia, including knowledge in various.

The program is available in most countries, and all students in college and university level are eligible to apply. Typically, few most skilled students from each institution are chosen at a time. If accepted, Student Partners are assumed to further share the knowledge among the academic community by, for example, arranging courses, giving presentations and initiating projects.

History
The MSP Program was initiated in 2001, and operated in 15 countries for five years. In late 2006, the program was expanded to 50 countries worldwide, and as of july 2010, there are more than 2800 members worldwide across 101 countries and regions.

Purpose
The MSP program is an educational and promotional program to sponsor undergraduate and postgraduate students majoring in disciplines related to technology, typically computer science, computer information systems, and information technology. MSP program aims to enhance students' employability and increase students' awareness of Microsoft technologies. Student Partners are offered training especially in product-specific skills not typically taught in academia.

As a whole, the program aims to increase awareness of Microsoft products, programs and initiatives. Consequently, the program helps expanding the user base of Microsoft products, and results in better availability of properly educated workforce in those technologies.

Membership
The MSP program is active around the world to college and university level students. Microsoft chooses few skilled students from each institution at a time to serve as representatives. Typically, a Microsoft Student Partner is science major from engineering or business school of higher education.

Microsoft offers compensation to the members of the Student Partners program through hourly wages (in some countries only) and various software and hardware packages which are distributed to them for testing and promotional purposes. Student Partners are also given access to MSDN Premium Subscriptions to support their promotional activities. At times, Student Partners are invited to technology-related conferences.

Activities
Student Partners are given access to the latest Microsoft software, development tools, reference material, industry events, and training opportunities. MSPs are assumed to further share the knowledge among the academic community by arranging courses; giving presentations and lectures; and initiating projects among the students. MSPs are also used to promote incentives, for example, the Microsoft Imagine Cup ; and programs, such as the Ultimate Steal and its affiliate program.

Local MSP activities include, for example, attending the Student Technology Day in UK, which included high-profile presentations, such as one by the CEO of Microsoft, Steve Ballmer; and TechDays, for instance in France , and in Canada.