At its Build 2020 virtual developer conference today, Microsoft announced updates to its Learn Platform, as well as a new online exchange hub where different organizations can collaborate.
To start off, "Learn TV" has been launched on Microsoft Learn. This is a daily online program that creates an environment where developer discussion and information growth can take place. Live content from Microsoft Cloud Advocates and Product Group Leaders will be shared here, along with the delivery of structured content created across first-party events, hackathons, and more. Learn TV is especially being introduced at this time keeping in mind that most people are at home and cannot attend in-person events.
That isn"t the only new Learn program that has been introduced, however; A new peer community initiative dubbed the "Student Ambassadors Program" has also been unveiled. Offering a look at new Microsoft tech, open-source software, mentoring programs, and more, the platform brings a variety of opportunities for student developers to build upon their tech skills. The University of California, Berkeley, the Carnegie Mellon University, and the Oxford University have teamed up with Microsoft to provide content for new courses.
There is some more news concerning student developers as well; the six Imagine Cup World Championship finalists will be a part of the Build lineup again this year, giving one-minute pitches to a judge panel that includes Microsoft President Brad Smith, The CyberCode Twins, and Dwana Franklin-Davis, CEO of Reboot Representation Tech Coalition. Three teams will be shortlisted from these to give three-minute pitches, with the ultimate winner achieving the Imagine Cup, $100,000, a $50,000 Azure Grant, and a mentoring session with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella as their prizes.
Finally, Microsoft"s Tech for Social Impact team is also launching X4Impact in collaboration with Giving Tech Labs. This is an online innovation hub, doubling as an exchange where nonprofits and tech innovators can collaborate "to create solutions for society"s urgent issues", including problems such as the COVID-19 pandemic, remote healthcare, and more. 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and 231 indicators are being utilized in the project to create a framework to address such challenges. You can learn more about X4Impact here.