Irish school joins Microsoft programme

An Irish school has been named as one of Microsoft's "innovative schools" as the tech firm announced the expansion of the project.

Dunshaughlin Community College has been chosen to take part in the innovative schools programme, which is designed to help bring schools up to date schools and meet the needs of modern learning. As part of the project, Microsoft will provide schools with strategic planning, best practices, support personnel and technology solutions.

The scheme is being rolled out in 12 locations: Brazil, Canada, Chile, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong SAR, Ireland, Mexico, Qatar, Sweden and the UK.

The project's extension was announced by Microsoft chairman Bill Gates in Edinburgh earlier today at the Microsoft Government Leaders Forum (GLF) Europe.

Speaking before the event, Mr Gates said education was key to economic development and competitiveness.

"It's key to fostering the social and economic conditions needed for entrepreneurs to succeed, for workers to prosper in the knowledge economy and for everyone to realise their full potential," he said.

Dr Kevin Marshall, academic programme manager, Microsoft Ireland, said that Dunshaughlin Community College was already "quite visionary", but that the Innovative Schools Programme would allow them to deal with issues in-depth that may not already have been tackled from the school's previous work with the technology company.