Microsoft India joins forces with Viva Group of Institutions to boost student employability through Ed-vantage program

Mumbai, 30th May 2013: Microsoft Corporation India Pvt. Ltd. today joined forces with Viva Group of Institutions to help increase student employability through its education resource program, Ed-vantage. The program provides a platform for corporate houses to hire high-caliber Microsoft Technology Certified Students from colleges for internship and employment. Ed-vantage allows for the facilitation of industry connections for eligible students.

Viva Group of Institutions, a pioneer in industry-embedded education, is Microsoft?s first Ed-vantage PLATINUM Campus in the state of Maharashtra. Viva Group of Institutions has passed stringent qualifying criteria to qualify for this prestigious association. Building on their illustrious record of accomplishment in helping students understand and prepare for future challenges, the Group has taken their ability to deliver industry ready human resources to the next level by partnering with Microsoft as an exclusive Ed-vantage PLATINUM campus.

Emphasizing the importance of this initiative along with Viva Group of Institutions in furthering student employability, Mr. Sanket Akerkar, MD, Microsoft India, along with Mr. Raj Katari, Director Geo Expansion, and Mr. Vaibhav Srivastava, from Microsoft, was present at the sprawling Viva Group Of Institutions campus to personally launch and handover the Ed-vantage PLATINUM Campus Certification to Mr. Hitendra Thakur, Chairman, Viva Group, and Mr. Shashank Patil, Member, Managing Committee.

In another first for this region, Microsoft will also collaborate with Viva Group of Institutions to host a Microsoft Innovation Center (MIC), a state-of-the-art technology facility for innovative research, technology, and software solutions. This will be achieved through a combination of academic, government, and industry participants. http://www.microsoft.com/mic/default.aspx.

Under the Ed-vantage collaborative model, Microsoft India endeavors to provide the right platform to enable institutes across India to rise to their true potential by bringing in more technology innovation, capacity building for faculty and students, and making students more employable. The program will engage leading corporates houses that will benefit from access to fresh high-caliber talent certified through the latest Microsoft technologies.

Commenting on this partnership, Sanket Akerkar, Managing Director, Microsoft India said, ?The Viva Group of Institutions has been a trendsetter in industry relevant education, and we are pleased to partner with them as the first Microsoft Ed-vantage Platinum Campus in Maharashtra. We are excited about the possibilities this partnership offers students in this region to acquire the right skills and become more employable. Along with globally recognized Microsoft certifications, we can foster connections with corporations and employers and provide students a great platform to enhance their career opportunities?.

Mr. Shikhar Thakur - Head of Future Initiatives, Viva Group of Institutions stated, ?It is a matter of joy and pride for Viva Group of Institutions to partner with Microsoft Corporation, a leader in software across the world. Microsoft Ed-Vantage is a much-needed education resource program in the Indian context. We believe this association will create a new breed of well-equipped, young technology experts in India and take opportunities such as internships and employment to a whole new level.?