Education and Training News Toshiba Research and Learning Network Toshiba Research and Learning Network
- 06/10/2008A ceremony was held on 7th October 2008 between 11am and 12pm at the Pavilhão do Conhecimento, Parque das Nações, Lisbon, presided over by the Minister for Science, Technology and Higher Education, José Mariano Gago and attended by the President and CEO of TOSHIBA, Atsutoshi Nishida, where a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Science and Technology Foundation (FCT), Knowledge Society Agency (UMIC), Ciência Viva – National Agency for Scientific and Technology Culture, and Toshiba-Portugal regarding an investment by Toshiba in Portugal of roughly 1 million Euros over 3 to 5 years, shared out between the following actions:
- Funding of a research chair at a Portuguese university – the “Atsutoshi Nishida” Chair – co-funded by the Science and Technology Foundation (FCT), in the scope of this foundation’s Guest Scholarships programme.
- Support for setting up I.T. research laboratories through the donation of I.T. equipment.
- Support for setting up I.T. research laboratories in Ciência Viva centres through the donation of I.T. equipment.
- Presentation of an “e-University – Toshiba” commercial bid prepared in partnership by Toshiba and Prológica and specifically addressed at higher education students and professors (in the scope of the “e-U” initiative), consisting of a Toshiba laptop with software of interest to higher education students offered at a reduced cost and payable in instalments over two or three years. The included software was the subject of agreements reached by Knowledge Society Agency (UMIC) with Autodesk and Microsoft.
The Autodesk software package, which consists of licenses granted freely by this company pursuant to the agreement reached with UMIC, includes several Autodesk applications for design, viewing, mechanical design, infrastructure design, geo-spatial infrastructure and building design.
The Microsoft software package consists of licenses granted at a reduced rate by this company pursuant to the agreement reached with UMIC for scientific, technological, engineering, mathematics and design tools, Windows, Office and other production tools.
Laptops with the aforementioned software may be requested at any time, starting from the week after the launch of the initiative. Distribution of computers shall start within three weeks.
The Toshiba laptops foreseen during the initial phase will have the following specifications, although these are subject to change as the technology develops:
- TOSHIBA Satellite Pro L300-1AJ,
- CPU: Pentium T3200 (2.00GHz) 667MHz,
- Graphics Controller: Intel GL 40,
- HDD: 320GB (5400rpm) SATA,
- LA_BTO: 10/100Mbit BTO,
- LCD: 15.4” Wide XGA CSV HB,
- Memory: 3GB DDR2 (800MHz),
- ODD: DVD-SuperMulti +-R DL (SATA),
- OS: Vista 32bit Business & XP DVD,
- WebCamera: 0.3MPixel camera + int. microphone,
- Battery_BTO: 6 Cell BTO.
The Autodesk software package available free to higher education students and professors includes:
- Revit product family (Architecture + Structure + MEP) – including AutoCAD Architecture,
- Autodesk Inventor Professional – Including AutoCAD Mechanical,
- Autodesk Alias family (AutoStudio + Sketchbook + Showcase),
- AutoCAD Civil 3D,
- AutoCAD Map 3D,
- Autodesk Maya.
The Microsoft software package available at a reduced rate to higher education students and professors includes:
- Microsoft Mathematics,
- Visual Studio 2008 Professional Edition,
- Microsoft Expression Studio,
- Windows Server Standard Edition,
- SQL Server Developer Edition,
- MS Office 2007 Standard.
Either or the foreseen payment means may be used:
- 50€ down payment + 25€ banking charge paid at the beginning + monthly payment of 25€ over 24 months.
or - 0€ down payment + 25€ banking charge paid at the beginning + monthly payment of 20€ over 36 months.