Microsoft brings BETT to MEA

Business Bureau, Gulf Today

Microsoft has reinforced its commitment to the regional education sector by bringing the world-renowned education-technology conference BETT to the Middle East and Africa (MEA) for the fourth consecutive year.

The theme this year is “Building a Successful Change Culture to Meet the Evolving Needs of 21st-Century Citizens”. The conference features two days of collaboration and debate between educators and technologists as they seek to find novel ways of providing students with future-ready skill-sets.

“At Microsoft, our goal is to empower young people to become successful, capable, and active contributors to the development and prosperity of societies”, said Harb Bou-Harb, Education Director for Microsoft Middle East & Africa. “Our work in the field of Education is part of our ongoing efforts to skill up young people and help them achieve more – as innovators, business leaders, entrepreneurs and job creators. Bett speaks directly to this effort and is steadily rising to succeed in becoming a 360-degree integrated platform that gathers all key players in the education industry. We are truly inspired by seeing and listening to educators and education leaders who are pushing the limits of our thoughts and innovations to reshape the world of tomorrow.” In March this year, Microsoft teamed up with The Economist Intelligence Unit on a study conducted among more than 750 education professionals across 15 countries.

The survey revealed that 80 per cent of educators believe positive emotions are critical for academic success, while 70 per cent say emotional wellbeing has grown more important for K-12 students in recent years, with the vast majority insisting that it also helps in developing foundational literacies and in developing communication skills.  At the BETT EXPO, Microsoft showcased a range of technologies being applied in the classroom by innovative educators.