It is well understood that Microsoft is keen to get the governments into “eSkills” because it is the smart thing to do. Essentially your customers are trained with public funds on how to use your popular products. For the past decade the company has been a committed driver behind all eSkills programmes in the European Union. Nothing wrong with this, I guess it is a “Win-Win” and a matter of social responsibility to enhance the ICT skills of citizens, in particular disadvantaged ones and elderly people.
It looks a bit over the top, however, to watch an institutional EU Commission website eskills-week.ec.europa.eu which features public relations of that American corporation as front page news:
Chancellor Merkel and Prime Minister Zapatero visiting the Microsoft’s Digital Classroom
On the opening day of CeBIT 2010, and the official opening day of the European e-Skills Week, Chancellor Merkel and Prime Minister Zapatero were welcomed by Achim Berg, General Manager, Microsoft Germany to visit and connect live through the Microsoft’s digital classroom.
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Now the news article:
CeBIT 2010: Chancellor Merkel and Prime Minister Zapatero visiting the Microsoft’s Digital Classroom
Written by Johanna Snellman
CeBIT 2010 opened its doors on 2 March 2010 in Hannover, Germany. This year’s theme of the most important fair for the IT business is “connected world”. Microsoft took this as an ideal opportunity for a dialogue on how IT can be a tremendous benefit for learning and skills development.
Microsoft took this as an ideal opportunity for a dialogue on how IT can be a tremendous benefit for learning and skills development. Until Saturday, 6 March, in the center of Microsoft’s CeBIT stand, visitors can watch more than 500 students aged 10 to 16 learning with the latest technologies for the digital classroom.
On the opening day of CeBIT 2010, and the official opening day of the European e-Skills Week, Chancellor Merkel and Prime Minister Zapatero were welcomed by Achim Berg, General Manager, Microsoft Germany to visit and connect live through the digital classroom.
More information at: http://www.microsoft.eu/skills (European website) and http://www.microsoft.de/cebit (German website).
And when you look into the contacts information of the EU-Commission eSkills Week website you find that the website is run by:
Magali MERINDOL
DIGITALEUROPE Communications Officer
T. +32 2 609 5315 M. +32 477 229 939
E. magali.merindol@digitaleurope.org
http://www.digitaleurope.org
In other words the Communications officer of an European ICT lobbying group, DIGITALEUROPE (formerly called EICTA), is responsible for the contents of an EU Commission website. Or as they explain:
This ground breaking initiative of the European Commission’s DG Enterprise and Industry is coordinated by DIGITALEUROPE and European Schoolnet in conjunction with twenty national partners.
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