To mark the successful completion of the Wi-Fi network implementation in 50 Croatian schools, Microsoft Croatia, the Croatian Academic and Research Network – CARNet, and the Ministry of Science, Education and Sports organized a celebratory event at the Ruđer Bošković Technical School in Zagreb.
At an event attended by school principals involved in the project, representatives of educational agencies, and high-ranking officials, the attendees were addressed by the Deputy Minister of Science, Education, and Sports Hrvoje Šlezak, U.S. Ambassador to Croatia Julieta Valls Noyes, CARNet director Zvonimir Stanić, and Microsoft Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina director Ivan Vidaković. During the presentation, Samir Benkmakhlouf, Microsoft Connectivity Solutions Director, emphasized the necessity of embracing the digital transformation that is occurring in educational systems worldwide. This project will enable better connectivity for over 26,000 students, which also grants them entry into the “world of knowledge,” and as Alexander Toledo Leite, MS Connectivity's general director, highlights, this way organizations, employees, and students in locations where good connectivity did not previously exist gain access. cloud-u.
The project is fully funded by Microsoft Croatia and is implemented in cooperation with CARNet and the Ministry of Science, Education and Sports, as part of Microsoft's focus on providing the use of modern technology in everyday teaching, and to help young generations become competitive in the labor market.
In addition to fast internet access, schools will receive a high level of security and network connection control, as students will only be able to access the network via their AAI@EduHr electronic identities, automatically gaining access to the school system and MS Office 365.
During the event, Ivan Vidaković, Director of Microsoft Croatia and BiH, said: "The internet is today considered a fundamental right, and this project is a clear indicator of what the future of the modern education system will look like. The internet has changed how we communicate, learn, work, or have fun, so connectivity is a necessity. By focusing on technology and networking in education, Microsoft is helping students master the digital skills and competencies that will be needed for the upcoming fourth industrial revolution.“.
“In today's world, life without the Internet is almost unimaginable. Therefore, along with the modern way of life and the development of digital technology, it is necessary to develop the education system and create digitally competent and information-literate students. Through the project of implementing wireless internet in 50 primary and secondary schools across Croatia, students and teachers will be provided with fast and reliable internet access, and thus access to a wide range of information and new knowledge,” said CARNet Director Zvonimir Stanić, adding that internet access will also facilitate school principals' and administrative staff's operations, and for teachers and students, it will enable the use of e-Diaries and other CARNet services, among other things.
