Photo: President Prof. Rivka Carmi & Yoram Yaacovi

BGU and Microsoft's R&D Center and Microsoft Israel announced on Wednesday that they had reached an agreement of strategic cooperation. In this framework, outstanding computer science students will complete internships with Microsoft's R&D center in Israel, including in its special “Innovation Labs,” which are focused on hands-on practical research. The announcement was made by President Prof. Rivka Carmi and Yoram Yaacovi CTO of Microsoft’s R&D Center, at the opening ceremony for came as part of the University’s Annual Project Day.

Microsoft Israel, Microsoft R&D Center launched a national program for cooperation with Academia in Israel this year. The initiative includes joint research, student internships at Microsoft – involving students in global entrepreneurship programs, mentoring final projects and creation of long term relationships with the departments of computer science, electrical and computer engineering.

Speaking at the ceremony, Yaacovi explained that the company will select 18 outstanding students each year as interns. In the framework of the cooperation, Microsoft and the University researchers will carry out joint research projects. In addition to attending professional seminars and conferences during the year, University students will participate in Microsoft's global innovation competitions. Dr. Ronen Brafman, member of the BGU’s Department of Computer Sciences, will supervise University involvement in this initiative.

Yaacovi noted that:"the cooperation with Ben-Gurion opens doors for excellent students, giving them direct access to the core of the global technology industry. We are creating a talented and exceptional group of programmers that will join the R&D center and participate in developing the next generation of technology innovations."

Ronen Smooha, Technology and Business Development VP, Microsoft Israel added: “the software industry in Israel is a world leader and the quality of its students is the engine for the entire industry. Microsoft believes that continues dialogue between industry and academia will enrich the students and will contribute to the industry, academic research and the students.”

University President Prof. Rivka Carmi noted that the University teaches around 20 percent of the students in the country in hi-tech fields and sees the expansion of these fields in the Negev as a national mission. “BGU is the second largest educational institution in the country training engineers,” she said, pointing out that today the vast majority of graduates leave the Negev once they complete their studies and detailed the University’s involvement in developing an Advanced Technologies Park adjacent to the Marcus Family Campus.

Remarking on the agreement, Deputy-Rector Prof. Yael Edan said: "Cooperation with Microsoft's R&D Center is the right way of ensuring the best brains remain in Israel."

The R&D Center and the Innovation Labs

Microsoft's strategic R&D Center was launched in May 2007 following Microsoft's decision to increase its R&D activities in Israel. Today around 600 people are employed at two sites: The Herzliya Campus and the R&D Center in Haifa. The Center develops technologies and products in a number of areas including: telecommunication, security, PC Health and more. In March 2008, Microsoft opened the Innovation Labs in the strategic R&D Centers in the United States. Their uniqueness is based in the special integration between academic research and research and development for practical needs in the commercial market, looking 3-5 years ahead. The projects in the Innovation Labs are spread over a wide range of fields including: services and technologies for the online world and search engines, advertising and GPS, entertainment and research services and technologies in opening fields.