Microsoft announces partnerships in LatinAM to transform Education & Expand Access to Technology.

Microsoft Corp. announced a new and expanded partnerships that will play a strong role in transforming education and creating economic opportunity in Latin America. The company is collaborating with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Organization of American States (OAS) to extend the reach and impact of Partnership in Opportunities for Employment through Technology in the Americas (POETA), a program created by the Trust for the Americas nonprofit affiliate of the Organization of American States to help people with disabilities and at-risk youth across Latin America with technology skills training. Microsoft is also announcing an extended partnership with the Bradesco Foundation to create a School Technology Innovation Center (STIC).

The STIC will be focused on the development and research of new educational approaches, classroom solutions and products to improve educational outcomes in Brazil.

“At Microsoft, we’re committed to helping transform education worldwide in order to bring social and economic opportunity to underserved communities around the world,” said Bill Gates, chairman of Microsoft. “Local and regional collaboration are a key part of our approach to achieving the scalability necessary to make real progress toward these goals. Partnerships between Microsoft and organizations like the Inter-American Development Bank, the Organization of American States and the Bradesco Foundation play a vital role in all of our efforts.”