Home / The University / Faculties / Faculty of Economics and Business Administration / News / Microsoft YouthSpark: Opportunities for the Future | 19 Feb 2013, 10:30

   

15.02.2013

 

YouthSpark: Opportunities for the Future | 19 Feb 2013, 10:30-11:45

 

Location: Sofia University St Kliment Ohridski

Room; The Aula

Address: 15 Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd., Sofia

Phone: (+359 2) 9308 200

 

 

EVENT DETAILS:

 

Event Overview: The event is organized in the format of public discussion, where all engaged parties will be able to present their point of view and exchange ideas about the challenges that modern global society face with the increasing rates of youth unemployment worldwide and how to provide future opportunities for young people.

 

The rector of Sofia University will open the event as a host and will present the topic on behalf of educational institutions. He will briefly comment on the importance of being educated and tech-savvy in order to meet the requirements of the modern world and the efforts of the universities in that direction. The US Ambassador in Bulgaria, Mrs. Marcie Ries, will also speak, highlighting the challenges facing young people in Bulgaria and the importance of giving them opportunities. Microsoft will focus on the YouthSpark program, its commitments to support the young generation and will also showcase local successful examples including representatives from Nimero. Then Microsoft will announce the local YouthSpark grant for Bulgaria and will give its NGO partner to the opportunity to briefly outline the messages, goals and activities of the project.

The audience will be mixed – 250 students from universities and last grade of Sofia high-schools will be attending the event. All of them fall under the YouthSpark target group of 16-24 years. We will also invite our local MSPs, students from the IT Academy of our partners, students-members of our YouthSpark NGO partner FEBA Alumni. In addition to the students’ community, we expect approximately 30 journalists from national media & correspondents of foreign media to attend. The overall audience perception of Microsoft (both, students and media) is positive.

 

SEQUENCE OF EVENTS:

10:30 – 10:32 Moderator opens the event, announces the occasion & the topic. Gives the word to prof. Ivan Ilchev
10:32 – 10:37 Prof. Ivan Ilchev, Rector of Sofia University & host, talks about the modern world & its requirements towards the young people for high qualifications & education in order to be competitive; the global economy & the changes that ICT brings. He will accent on the role of Sofia University as an edu institution and end his speech with the importance of the new technologies for employment & entrepreneurship.
10:37 – 11:38 Moderator thanks prof. Ilchev and gives the word to H.E. Marcie Ries
10:38 – 10:43 Marcie Ries, US Ambassador in Bulgaria (consecutive translation)
10:43 – 10:44 Moderator thanks the Ambassador and gives the word to Jean-Philippe Courtois
10:44 – 11:04 Jean-Philippe Courtois, President of Microsoft International (consecutive translation)
11:04 – 11:05 Jean-Philippe Courtois gives the world to Kiril Rusev and invites him on stage, then shake hands and step back to let Kiril do his speech
11:05 – 11:10 Kiril Rusev, Co-founder of Nimero start-up & winner of Imagine Cup 2009 local finals. He will briefly present his success story by taking the audience through his life experience of a student, who was inspired by Imagine Cup. He will also talk about what it takes to be a successful start-up company.
11:10 – 11:11 Moderator thanks to Kiril Rusev and invites Jean-Phillipe Courtois and George Randelov
11:11 – 11:13 Jean-Phillipe Courtois and George Randelov announce the YouthSpark grant for Bulgaria and give a replica of the check to FEBA Alumni rep, Ralitza Ganeva (The check will be left in the background of the stage and an assistant will pass it to Jean-Philippe Courtois).
11:13 – 11:15 Photos taken with Jean-Phillipe Courtois, George Randelov & Ralitsa Ganeva (FEBA Alumni)
11:15 – 11:20 Ralitsa Ganeva, FEBA Alumni rep, talks about the context & goals of the project; the mission of FEBA
11:20 – 11:21 Moderator thanks to Ralitsa Ganeva and opens the Q&A session
11:21 – 11:30 Q&A session with the students
11:30 – 11:31 Moderator closes the event and invites journalists to the stand-up briefing
11:30 – 11:45 Stand-up media briefing with Jean-Philippe Courtois
11:45 End of the event

Moderator Simeon Kolev, BG Radio Host & Journalist