Microsoft Student Partners

The MSP (now MLSA) program was initiated in 2001 and operated in fifteen countries for five years. In late 2006, the program was expanded to fifty countries worldwide, and as of July 2010, there are more than 2800 members worldwide across 101 countries and regions.

On July 20, 2020, the Microsoft Learn Student Ambassador program rebranded.{{Cn|date=September 2024}}

{{Expand section|date=July 2010}}

The MLSA 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. MLSA program aims to enhance students' employability and increase students' awareness of Microsoft technologies. Student Ambassadors are offered training especially in product-specific skills not typically taught in academia.

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.

The MLSA program is active around the world to college and university level students{{#tag:ref|Attending at high school level, or earlier, may also be possible, depending on the individual. Parth Bhalla, a young entrepreneur in the year 2019-2020 got accepted into MSP at the age of 17. Some of the Youngest MSP are Praneet Sah and Babar Iqbal, both being 13 years old. The youngest Microsoft Certified Professional, M. Lavinashree, is 9 years old.{{cite web|url=https://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2008/12/youngest-microsoft-certified-professional-just-9-years-old.ars|title=Youngest Microsoft Certified Professional just 9 years old |date=29 December 2008 | accessdate = 2010-03-24}}|group="note"}}. Microsoft chooses few skilled students from each institution at a time to serve as representatives. Typically, a Microsoft Learn Student Ambassador is science major from engineering or business school of higher education.

Microsoft offers compensation to the members of the Student Ambassadors program through software and hardware packages which are distributed to them for testing and promotional purposes. Student Ambassadors are given access to Visual Studio Enterprise Subscriptions and Azure free credits to support their development and promotional activities. At times, Student Ambassadors are invited to technology-related conferences.

Student Ambassadors are given access to the latest Microsoft software, development tools, reference material, industry events, and training opportunities.{{cite web |date=2006-11-07 |title=Microsoft Rolls Out Global Initiative to Promote Career Development for Students |url=http://www.microsoft.com/emea/presscentre/pressreleases/MSSPTechEdPR_7112006.mspx |accessdate=2010-03-24 |publisher=Microsoft}}{{dead link|date=May 2024}} MLSA's are assumed to further share the knowledge among the academic community by arranging courses; giving presentations and lectures; and initiating projects among the students. MLSA's are also used to promote incentives, for example, the Microsoft Imagine Cup;Student Ambassadors may also actively compete in Imagine Cup; they are not directly affiliated to the organizers of the incentive. and programs, such as the Ultimate Steal{{cite web |title=Microsoft Office Discount for US Students - The Ultimate Steal - Office 2007 Software for $59.95 |url=http://www.microsoft.com/student/discounts/theultimatesteal-us/default.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20100314135106/http://www.microsoft.com/student/discounts/theultimatesteal-us/default.aspx |archive-date=2010-03-14 |accessdate=2010-03-24 |website=The Ultimate Steal |publisher=Microsoft}} and its affiliate program.{{cite web |url=https://student.theultimatesteal.com/public_interface.html?pi=1&pic=4 |title=The Ultimate Steal Affiliate Program |accessdate=2010-03-24 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717040513/https://student.theultimatesteal.com/public_interface.html?pi=1&pic=4 |archivedate=2011-07-17 }} Some Student Ambassadors (based on a selection criteria) are provided internships and job opportunities at a few Microsoft Divisions through the program.

Local MLSA activities include, for example, attending the Student Technology Day in UK,{{cite web |year=2008 |title=Student Technology Day - Making Computer Science Matter |url=http://www.microsoft.com/uk/academia/studenttechnologyday/default.mspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20080906214212/http://www.microsoft.com/uk/academia/studenttechnologyday/default.mspx |archive-date=2008-09-06 |accessdate=2009-03-23 |publisher=Microsoft}} which included high-profile presentations, such as one by the CEO of Microsoft, Satya Nadella; and TechDays, for instance in France,{{cite web |title=Microsoft Techdays : le rendez-vous des professionnels de l'informatique |url=http://www.microsoft.com/france/mstechDays |url-status=dead |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20080423140922/http://www.microsoft.com/france/mstechDays |archive-date=2008-04-23 |accessdate=2009-03-23 |publisher=Microsoft |language=fr}} and in Canada.{{cite web |title=Microsoft Tech Days Canada 2008 |url=http://www.microsoft.com/canada/techdays |url-status=deviated |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20081217003903/http://www.microsoft.com/en/ca/default.aspx |archive-date=2008-12-17 |accessdate=2009-03-23 |publisher=Microsoft}} In New Zealand, the MLSA developed a programmed called the Microsoft Student Accelerator (MSA), which aims to not only train the students throughout the year but also place the students in various internship programmes over the summer.{{cite web |title=Microsoft Student Accelerator. Inspire. Develop. Innovate. |url=http://msa.azurewebsites.net/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20211019031903/http://msa.azurewebsites.net/ |archive-date=2021-10-19 |website=Microsoft Azure}}{{cite web |last=Elgan |first=Mike |date=2014-12-04 |title=Kiwi students take first steps to IT career through Microsoft NZ |url=http://www.computerworld.co.nz/article/561099/kiwi-students-take-first-steps-it-career-through-microsoft-nz/ |url-status=deviated |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20230210211118/http://www.computerworld.co.nz/article/561099/kiwi-students-take-first-steps-it-career-through-microsoft-nz/ |archive-date=2023-02-10 |access-date=2015-03-14 |website=Computerworld}}

{{Expand section|date=March 2009}}

• Imagine Cup
• DreamSpark
• MSDN Academic Alliance
• Microsoft Certified Professional
• Microsoft Developer Network
• Microsoft Most Valuable Professional
• Microsoft Research

• [http://studentambassadors.microsoft.com/ Official website]
• [http://www.microsoft.com/uk/academia/students/student-partners/default.mspx Microsoft Student Partners] UK
• [http://www.gotdotnet.ru/student/msp/default.aspx Microsoft Student Partners Russia] {{in lang|ru}}

{{Microsoft products}}

Category:Microsoft initiatives

Category:Academia