APTECH, Microsoft to jointly promote IT education
KARACHI- APTECH Worldwide and Microsoft Corporation have decided to make collective efforts to promote information technology through quality and branded products and services in Pakistan. Both organisations would soon sign an agreement in this regard. Country Manager, Microsoft Corporation, Pakistan, Jawwad Rehman, and master business partner, APTECH Worldwide, Dr Junaid Ahmed, disclosed the understanding between both organisations at the second seminar on ‘New Technology’.
Dr Junaid Ahmed said APTECH would be using and promoting Microsoft-licensed products and services in all its 30 computer education centres all over the country and as per the understanding, Microsoft would also assist APTECH Computer Education in introduction and promotion of the latest dot net technology in Pakistan.
In this regard, Dr Ahmed said the APTECH had planned to introduce its new curriculum from next April to further enhance the quality of education and training. “We want to keep our students abreast of modern technology,” he added. “Our network support office will work 24 hours on-line throughout the week to offer assistance to IT students and professionals.”
Dr Junaid Ahmed further said that the APTECH had established an APTECH family club where more than 50 corporations offered their products and services to students at 40 per cent discounted rates. Jawwad Rehman of Microsoft Corporation stressed the need for making computer education, especially software training and development, export-oriented. He regretted that Pakistan’s software export remained below $50 million as compared to $8.2 billions worth of Indian exports.
Rehman listed lack of attention to software export, lower penetration of personal computers, and lower quality of telephone services as the main reasons for the local software industry to lag behind its competitors. The Microsoft representative called for maximising use of Urdu and development of Urdu-based software products and services for the promotion of software exports in the country. He said Microsoft would organise a conference in May 2002 to discus various issues in this regard.
Zafar-ul-Islam, the technology specialist at Microsoft Corporation Pakistan liaison office, deliberated on the quick adoption of internet-based dot net technology. Tahir Siddiqui also spoke on the occasion. Dr Junaid Ahmed presented a crest to Jawwad Rehman and Zafarul Islam. Students of APTECH faculty members, IT professionals, representatives of various commercial and trade corporation attended the seminar.
Source: The News
Date:3/22/2002
” 
” 
” 
” 
” 
