MSDN Academic Alliance - Overview

MSDN Academic Alliances

The Microsoft Academic Alliance increases the access educators and students have to technology in order to help them improve teaching and learning and adapt to the evolving demands of the global economy. The professional-level developer and designer software and tools that are available through the MSDN Academic Alliance not only enhances a student’s educational experience, it also gives them a head start on their professional careers by helping familiarize them with the tools and practices they will need to use once they seek employment.

Microsoft DreamSpark

DreamSpark provides high school and university students professional level development and design tools to students enrolled in an accredited, secondary educational institution or university at no charge. Through DreamSpark students can download and use Microsoft tools to unlock their creative potential, setting them on the path to academic and career success by advancing their learning in the areas of technical design, technology, math, science, and engineering.

Microsoft IT Academy Program

MS IT Academy Student Pass is a program that provides free e-learning courses to students AND faculty interested in increasing their technical knowledge and improving their skills using Microsoft technologies.

Faculty Connection

MS Faculty Connection is designed to address the challenges educators face in teaching technology students. It features content and valuable tools that are exclusive, free, and designed to support technology educators like you. The site offers curriculum, free software, members-only forums, insight into Microsoft’s latest initiatives, as well as, access to regional events and training.

Imagine Cup

A student’s technical knowledge is important; it is equally as important that he or she has the ability to use that knowledge while developing skills necessary to finding solutions for real-world issues. Imagine Cup is a year-long global competition designed to inspire students to apply their imagination, their passion and their creativity to technology innovations. Competition is intense, and in the process competitors gain valuable experience and project skills that can translate into a future career.

Microsoft Students to Business

The objective of the S2B program is to inspire local businesses to communicate the competency requirements for new talent, to evaluate the skills of students ready for an entry-level job or internship and collaborate with Microsoft and local education institutions to provide the curriculum and training needed to ensure students are prepared to meet the innovation needs of company’s around the globe.

Microsoft BizSpark

BizSpark is an innovative new program that unites Startups with entrepreneurial and technology resources in a global community with a common goal of supporting and accelerating the success of a new generation of high -potential Startups.

MSDN AA Member's Guide

Register for Membership (Instructions)

Getting Support

License Agreement & Usage Guidelines

ELMS Software Distribution (Instructions)

MSDN AA Student Agreement

Download & Install Software (Video)

Surface SDK 1.0 in MSDN AA

Microsoft Surface is a multi-touch computer that responds to natural hand gestures and real-world objects.

Microsoft Surface SDK 1.0 SP1 Workstation Edition enables schools to engage with this multi-touch, multi-user experience. Students and faculty can develop and test Surface applications on every computer in the lab by running the Surface Simulator included in the Surface SDK. The Surface Simulator enables you to run Surface applications in a full Surface-like environment, including Launcher. When you use Surface Simulator, you use mice to simulate finger and object contacts.

Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 RTM

Windows 7 Client Professional edition (x86 and x64) is now available in MSDN AA for student distribution and Windows 7 Enterprise edition (x86 and x64) is also included with LabKeys for lab installs. Windows Server 2008 R2 is also expected to be in MSDN AA by end of August.

Please note that there is NO support in place for upgrade paths from either Windows 7 Beta or Release candidates of Windows 7 to the RTM version of Windows 7. For additional information, see Windows 7 Upgrade Paths.

Expression Studio 3.0 in MSDN AA Shortly

Microsoft Expression Studio 3 is a family of tools for professional designers building web and Windows client applications and rich media content and is comprised of 4 products, Expression Web 3, Microsoft Expression Blend 3, Expression Design 3 and Expression Encoder 3. The entire suite of Expression Studio 3.0 will be available in MSDN AA by the end of August.

Expression Studio is a perfect tool to enable you to create compelling, impactful and expressive designs for the desktop and the web.

DreamSpark – Software for all Students with Verification

Microsoft DreamSpark is a program that provides no-cost access to Microsoft designer and development tools and training for all verified high school and university students around the world, to support and advance their learning and skills through technical design, technology, math, science and engineering activities. This program equips tomorrow’s developers with the professional tools to inspire and create today. Students can download the professional-level developer and designer products from DreamSpark.

Test Drive Education Solutions

View interactive demos of Microsoft technology applied to curriculum management and reporting, collaboration, and resource access

Partner MartketPlace

Search for solutions and technology partners specializing in helping educational institutions.