By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)
The Sir Syed University of Engineering & Technology
(SSUET), Karachi, has become the first academic institution of the country to
migrate on Office 365 application of Microsoft Cloud, the technology now being
used globally.
In this regard a ceremony was held at the SSUET in which the
Office 365, the latest cloud technology of Microsoft, was formally launched by
Vice-Chancellor, Prof Dr Jawaid Hasan Rizvi.
In a detail presentation on the occasion Zafar-ul-Islam,
Microsoft Technology Expert, Asia Pacific Region, stated that this facility is
provided by Microsoft free of cost to academic and research institutions all
over the world.
A team of SSUET networking staff had been working with
Microsoft to transfer SSUET email service to Office 365.
"This has been a major undertaking that includes changes
to our authentications system, grouping and training", Vice-Chancellor, Dr
Jawaid Rizvi, remarked while inaugurating the services by clicking the computer
button.
He acknowledged the networking and server room staff for
having worked hard for a successful migration and many of them have already
received training on the new cloud technology.
This is an important step towards transfer and adoption of
high tech cloud technology for which direction and timeline of year 2015 have
been given by Higher Education Commission (HEC) to the member public and
private sector universities, he pointed out adding that SSUET is also the
partner of Microsoft Software Strategic Alliance through HEC.
In his welcome address Abdul Moid Khan, System Manager
SSUET, said that they had been working with Microsoft, its local and
international support is available all the way in this project. By transfer of
SSUET network services on Microsoft Cloud, SSUET will enter into the world of
paperless environment and will enjoy following high tech facilities free of
cost.
In his presentation, Zafar-ul-Islam dilated upon in detail
the salient features of the technology and its applications in various
academic, commercial and business fields, including Exchange online (For Emails
on SSUET domain <xyz@ssuet.edu.pk>), outlook Web app (Outlook Web
version) Lync online (For Video Conferencing and messaging) and
SharePoint Portal Online (Complete Document Management System)
He informed that Migration on Microsoft Office 365 is widely
adapted globally, especially in academic environment, as Microsoft is providing
these services free of cost to all academic institutions like Duke University,
Emory University, Thomas Jefferson University, University of Iowa and
University of Washington chose Office 365 for education and next-generation
cloud productivity services.
He said many universities in Pakistan are working on this
project. However, it is a big achievement that SSUET is the first in academic
sector in Pakistan with more than 7000+ accounts to adopt and transfer on
Office 365 cloud.
The Associate Dean SSUET, Dr Najib Siddiqui, said that it is
the latest technology adopted by SSUET and it will take this institution to new
horizons providing support to imparting modern education to its students.
Zafarul Islam explained the top 10 business and technical
priorities, highlighted the importance of education and said that technology
play an important role in it as well as development of society and economy as a
whole besides industrial skills.
On the occasion, Mr Anas Kidwai, Project Coordinator
Microsoft Innovation Center, gave a presentation on Microsoft and Academia
Collaboration.
