Brown University offers Office 365 to students at no additional cost through Microsoft Student Advantage

REDMOND, Wash., April 22, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Brown University has selected Microsoft Office 365 for its students, and is using the Microsoft Student Advantage benefit to extend the service to its student body at no additional cost using their existing Brown credentials. Available since Jan. 1, Microsoft Office 365 ProPlus gives Brown's approximate 8,600 students the tools they need to complete coursework from any device while in school and compete in the job market after graduation.

Until now, students who wished to use Office had to purchase it for themselves or rely on third-party programs that didn't always sync well with one another. Office on the Windows platform offers students a full enterprise experience, but many students use a variety of devices, such as iPhones, iPads, PCs and desktop computers, so Brown needed a unified solution that would provide students with the same, robust experience no matter what device they are using. Microsoft Student Advantage, which launched Dec. 1, 2013, enables academic institutions that license Office for staff and faculty to provide Office 365 ProPlus for students at no additional cost.

"When our chief information officer heard about Student Advantage, he wanted us to make it available to students as quickly as possible, and we were able to extend the service to students in about one month," said Geoffrey Greene, director of IT Support Services, Brown University. "Students have been champing at the bit for this, and faculty have frequently asked us to help students get the solution, so it's a great benefit for everyone. Plus, a lot of our students use laptops, iPhones and other devices, so Office 365 was the perfect solution for us."

Extending the Office 365 service to students helps Brown ensure that students have the technical tools they need to succeed in their classes, and that their software is always up to date. The Daily Herald student blog helped alert students to the new offering in time for the start of the new semester.

"The Microsoft Student Advantage is an incredible opportunity for all students to gain access to the Office programs," said Sazzy Gourley, student at Brown University. "Especially for incoming first-years, or for those who are purchasing new computers, Microsoft Student Advantage makes accessible the technology students need to be academically successful."

More information about how organizations are turning to Microsoft technology is available on the Microsoft Customer Spotlight newsroom.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

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SOURCE Microsoft Corp.