UM, Microsoft M’sia collaborate in human capital development

KUALA LUMPUR: The University of Malaya (UM) is collaborating with Microsoft Malaysia and Prestariang Bhd to provide its students with a human capital development programme called “Hedstart Program”.

Launched at UM yesterday, the programme would impart world class knowledge and resources to develop students to become highly skilled and confident to face the globally benchmarked accreditation, said Prof Dr Rohana Yusof, deputy vice-chancellor (student affairs), University of Malaya.

Hedstart Program is a significant achievement and an excellent example of a private-public partnership, that is in line with the government’s agenda towards transforming Malaysia, as well as to enhance creativity, innovation and competitiveness among students. “Microsoft’s continuous support to provide quality education and eagerness to invest in the country’s education strategy is vital to create an excellent education platform and to help Malaysia to achieve a developed status by year 2020,” Rohana said.

The roll-out of the campus-wide milestone will further improve the unversity’s education ecosystem and increase competitiveness and capabilities of the students.

Microsoft Malaysia managing director, Ananth Lazarus said the company’s decision to collaborate with UM is part of its over-arching National Plan, which is to help accelerate Malaysia’s transformation into a technologically advanced and high-income country.

“The effort we have put in through the Hedstart Program is to help transform Malaysia together with various communities and stakeholders,” he added.

Meanwhile, Dr Abu Hassan Ismail, chief executive officer of Prestariang, one of the leading software licence distribution and management organisations in Malaysia, said: “Focusing on ICT training and certification, our role is to advocate, educate and prepare students with the right productivity tools.”
The Hedstart Program will empower UM’s 25,000 students with genuine versions of the Microsoft Office 2010 productivity suite which they are able to retain after graduating, as well to access more than 200 software under the MSD NAcademic Alliance programme. — Bernama