Discover Copilot Pro, Microsoft premium subscription that gives you the most advanced AI capabilities

Discover Copilot Pro, Microsoft premium subscription that gives you the most advanced AI capabilities

If you are looking for a way to boost your productivity and creativity as a developer, you might want to check out Copilot Pro, Microsoft’s premium subscription that gives you the most advanced AI capabilities. Copilot Pro is more than just a code completion tool. It is a smart assistant that can help you write better code, faster and easier. Copilot Pro can:

  • Suggest entire lines or functions based on your context and intent
  • Generate tests, documentation, and comments for your code
  • Refactor and optimize your code with best practices and design patterns
  • Detect and fix bugs, errors, and vulnerabilities in your code
  • Integrate with your favorite IDEs, languages, and frameworks

With Copilot Pro, you can save time and effort, improve your code quality and security, and learn new skills and techniques from the best developers in the world. Copilot Pro is powered by OpenAI Codex, the most advanced AI system for natural language and code generation. Copilot Pro learns from billions of lines of public and private code, and adapts to your style and preferences.

Whether you are a beginner or an expert, working on a hobby project or a professional one, Copilot Pro can help you achieve your goals faster and easier. Copilot Pro is the ultimate tool for developers who want to take their coding to the next level.

To learn more about Copilot Pro and how to get started, visit https://www.microsoft.com/copilot-pro

Microsoft is launching Copilot Pro this week

Microsoft is launching Copilot Pro this week

Microsoft is launching Copilot Pro this week, a new service that aims to help developers write better code faster. Copilot Pro is based on the open source project Copilot, which uses artificial intelligence to suggest code snippets based on natural language descriptions. Copilot Pro enhances this functionality with more features, such as:

  • Customizable code style and formatting preferences
  • Integration with popular code editors and IDEs
  • Support for more programming languages and frameworks
  • Access to a large and curated code database
  • Ability to share and collaborate on code suggestions

Copilot Pro is designed to be a smart and reliable assistant for developers of all skill levels and domains. It can help with tasks such as:

  • Writing boilerplate code and scaffolding projects
  • Implementing common algorithms and data structures
  • Debugging and testing code
  • Documenting and commenting code
  • Exploring new libraries and APIs

Copilot Pro is not meant to replace human developers, but rather to augment their capabilities and productivity. It is also not a guarantee of correctness or security, and developers should always review and test the suggested code before using it.

Copilot Pro is available as a subscription service, with different plans and pricing options depending on the usage and needs of the developers. Microsoft is offering a free trial period for new users, as well as discounts for students, educators, and non-profit organizations.

To learn more about Copilot Pro and how to get started, visit the official website at https://copilotpro.microsoft.com.

30 years of Microsoft in Africa

30 years of Microsoft in Africa

Can you believe it? It’s been 30 years since Microsoft opened its first office in Africa. That’s right, 30 years of empowering Africans with technology, innovation and skills. 30 years of making a difference in education, health, agriculture and more. 30 years of being part of the continent’s amazing journey.

But we’re not here to brag. We’re here to celebrate. And what better way to celebrate than with some fun facts about Microsoft in Africa? Here are some of the highlights from our three decades of presence and impact:

  • Did you know that Microsoft was the first global tech company to launch a datacenter region in Africa? That’s right, we beat Google and Amazon to it. And we didn’t stop there. We also launched the first cloud services from Africa, enabling businesses and organizations to access world-class technology and innovation locally.
  • Did you know that Microsoft has trained over 1.7 million young Africans in digital skills since 2013? That’s more than the population of Gambia. And we’re not done yet. We’re committed to reaching 4 million more by 2023, through our flagship programs like 4Afrika, YouthSpark and DigiGirlz.
  • Did you know that Microsoft has supported over 500 startups in Africa, helping them grow and scale their businesses? That’s more than the number of lions in Kenya. And we’re not just talking about funding. We’re talking about mentorship, technical support, access to markets and customers, and more.
  • Did you know that Microsoft has partnered with over 200 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Africa, helping them leverage technology for social good? That’s more than the number of countries in the world. And we’re not just talking about donations. We’re talking about co-creating solutions, sharing best practices, and empowering communities.

These are just some of the facts that make us proud of our work in Africa. But we know that we couldn’t have done it without you. You are the ones who inspire us, challenge us, and collaborate with us. You are the ones who make Africa what it is today: a vibrant, diverse, and dynamic continent.

So thank you for being part of our journey. Thank you for trusting us with your dreams and aspirations. Thank you for letting us be part of your story.

Here’s to 30 more years of Microsoft in Africa!

Microsoft launches technical skill-enhancement program for university lecturers.

Microsoft launches technical skill-enhancement program for university lecturers.

This course is designed to magnify the lecturer’s delivery of core general management and
drive engagement with advanced technology topics. Lecturers will be able to experiment with
alternative teaching techniques and glean additional essential insight and research studies
best practices.

The Microsoft Africa Development Centre (ADC) and
Microsoft Leap are delighted to launch an inaugural workshop intentionally designed for
university lecturers, proficient in leading technology-focused courses. University lecturers will
be provided with an opportunity to engage with fellow educators in skill enhancement
modules and identify best practices to incorporate into their curriculum.


The 12-week program, which begins on March 6th, will use a hybrid classroom model and
practical training to provide instructors with a better understanding of industry requirements
and inspire a curriculum change that will align university classrooms with the needs of the
technology industry.


“This program is the result of collaboration on many fronts, including university lecturers and
their students. The training has been designed to provide lecturers with hands-on experience
with industry needs, allowing them to design effective teaching for their students in an
equally practical manner. The course will also expose them to advanced topics and allow
them to learn and experiment with effective teaching techniques while obtaining essential
aspects of carrying out research studies,” said Catherine Muraga, Microsoft ADC Managing
Director, at the program’s launch.


Yolanda Natal-Santos, Microsoft Leap’s Senior Business Program Manager says “Rooted in
our culture of the growth mindset and the belief that digital skills are for everyone, we are
grateful for our partnership with the Microsoft ADC, as we extend Microsoft Leap’s global
reach to a region that is rich in culture and talent. The growth of our partnership with the
Microsoft ADC, has provided our program with a platform to continue identifying, engaging,
and aligning with changemakers in Africa, as we impact and elevate together.”


Working collectively with Engineers from the ADC, Nairobi, the program will enhance skills,
based on a curriculum developed and taught by Microsoft Leap instructors.


In addition to technical programming aspects and teaching a hybrid classroom, educators
will receive training on specific Microsoft tools that are already being used in classrooms
around the world and can be introduced to Kenyan lecture halls. The program will also
provide technical educators with the tools they need to introduce popular Microsoft
resources like Microsoft Azure, Microsoft Power Platforms, and Microsoft Dynamics.
“JKUAT’s Department of Computing is thrilled to participate in the Microsoft Skilling
Program, as it will provide our staff with access to cutting-edge technologies and a leading
global company. This opportunity to engage with industry-relevant skills and knowledge

brings great joy to the university”, Dr. Lawrence Nderu, Chairman/Lecturer, Department of
Computing, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology said.
“The world is changing quickly, and if we are to mould tomorrow’s leaders, we as lecturers
must evolve too. Each day, there are new tools and methods being devised that are
becoming increasingly crucial to operating within the tech industry.


For the sake of our students, it is best that we learn how to leverage industry-standard and
emerging technology from industry leaders.”


Githinji emphasised a multi-pronged approach to improving technical education in Kenyan
universities. “Improving lecturers’ capacities is line with the ADC’s digital skilling initiatives
that range from elementary school-level all the way into the workplace. We held several
campus tours last year, which prompted us to begin a curriculum review process with
JKUAT. Improving all aspects of the training ladder is critical if we want to create a tech
talent pipeline that is not only robust enough to meet today’s needs, but also propels Africa
to compete on a global scale,” she added.


The first cohort of 23 educators is drawn from both private and public universities, including
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), Multimedia University,
and Kirinyaga University. Strathmore University, KCA University, Kabarak University, USIU-
Africa, Zetech University, and Africa Nazarene University are the others.

Microsoft ADC launches Season 4 of university students’ coding competition

Microsoft ADC launches Season 4 of university students’ coding competition

The Game of Learners initiative is organised as a hackathon and is this year being
implemented in partnership with Population Services International (PSI) and AMREF Health
Africa to guide learners in developing possible tech solutions for the health sector.

University students from across Kenya and some
parts of Africa can now apply to participate in season 4 of the Microsoft Africa Development
Centre’s (ADC) Game of Learners (GOL) competition. The GOL initiative provides an
opportunity for African university students, aspiring software engineers and solution builders
to improve their technical and coding abilities while creating solutions to current challenges
facing the continent and the world.


In this year’s competition, participants will be working to develop possible technology
solutions that can address different health challenges, including how to improve healthcare
service provision in their localities or other parts of the world. The program runs as a 5-week
hackathon with teams captained by Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors crafting the
innovations while receiving technical training from Microsoft’s professionals.


“Since we launched Game of Learners four years ago, we have seen incredible development
in the learner’ skills through each season as they create incredibly clever solutions to some
of Africa’s pressing problems using Microsoft technology,” said Ruth Ferland, Senior
Program Manager at ADC, and the founder of the Game of Learners Program. “This year’s
theme will allow the participants to plug into an area that has enormous potential to impact
lives across the continent and indeed around the world.”


The students will benefit from the instruction of 32 coaches and more than 20 advisors who
will guide them through the process of learning new technologies and building their
solutions. The coaches, mentors, judges, speakers, and trainers will consist of volunteers
from Microsoft and partners, who for season 4 will include PSI and AMREF Health Africa.
At the end of the season, the winning team will be eligible for awards, including collaboration
with GOL Season 4 partners to advance their solution and entry into the Microsoft Imagine
Cup, where they will present their innovation on a global stage.


“This partnership with Microsoft is part of a larger initiative to increase the talent pool of
individuals working in Digital Health across Africa”, said Martin Dale, Population Services
International’s (PSI) Global Director of Digital Health. “There is so much talent graduating
from our universities and Game of Learners is a great opportunity for students to dig in and
create solutions that make health care more accessible to all.”, he continued.


Speaking about the initiative, Samuel Weru, AMREF Health Africa Group ICT Director,
challenged students to apply for the program and be part of the drive towards creating
home-grown solutions for Africa’s challenges.


“As a continent that has historically had serious healthcare challenges, we need the kind of
ideas that can only come from the youth to revitalise healthcare service provision. There are
myriad opportunities ranging from health informatics and telemedicine to big data analysis
and system security for the learners to explore. We are eager to work with the teams to
create solutions that have the potential to change Africa and the world,” said Weru.

In total, Season 4 will have 16 teams, each made up of 4 learners, 2 men and 2 women,
drawn from all over the continent. The virtual competition is open to students of accredited
universities and colleges in sub-Saharan Africa, who will be vetted as per the requirements
after submitting an online application.


“The program is designed to provide a fun, hands-on learning experience while creating a
virtual environment that transcends borders to allow young minds to collaborate and drive
the advancement of Africa into a global innovation hub. Having gender-balanced teams
further ties into our mission of promoting diversity and inclusion within the tech industry,”
explains Ferland.


Designed like a sports league, each 5-week season of Game of Learners is followed by a
month-long season of GOL Clinic and GOL exhibitions to accord individuals seeking deeper
hands-on technical experience and specialised training from Microsoft and GOL partners.

Young African Leaders Initiative and Microsoft Africa Development Centre partner to

Young African Leaders Initiative and Microsoft Africa Development Centre partner to

The Microsoft Africa Development Centre (ADC) and the Young African Leaders Initiative Regional Leadership Centre East Africa (YALI) have signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate to provide digital skills programs and solutions to
young leaders in the region.


According to the MoU, the ADC will provide YALI participants with capacity-building opportunities in digital skills such as the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, and machine learning, access to its innovation hub at the Microsoft Garage and avail mentorship and training opportunities. YALI, for its part, will collaborate with Microsoft ADC to develop the digital skills programs and will avail training participants and its alumni for training and idea competitions. The YALI alumni will also seek to spread Microsoft’s digital literacy training to other youth. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Catherine Muraga, the ADC Managing Director, noted that the partnership is another step in the organisation’s mission to improve digital skilling for African
youth.


“Partnerships are a vital part of our mission as Microsoft to empower everyone to do more. YALI provides essential skills to build a better future, and we are excited to contribute to improving digital skills among their participants. Preparing young leaders with the knowledge to excel within an increasingly digital-first landscape is a great way to set the continent up for success within the global economy,” said Muraga.


Housed at the Kenyatta University for the East Africa region, YALI participants will benefit from skills-building programs co created by ADC with the intention of improving their digital capabilities as part of their training to add more excellent value to society through sustainably impacting both public and private sector.


Prof. Paul Wainaina, the Kenyatta University Vice Chancellor, said: “The engagement between the Young African Leaders Initiative and the ADC is an opportunity to grow the digital skills of our trainees while augmenting the vision and goals of both YALI and the ADC. It is also a great opportunity to engage in designing training modules for our program’s current and future participants.”


The Africa Development Centre, Microsoft’s premier engineering arm in Africa, is already implementing various projects to improve digital skills, including the recently concluded Game of Learners university coding competition and several other initiatives from the elementary school level into the workplace.


“Our digital skilling efforts align with YALI’s vision of providing access to all emerging leadersregardless of socio-economic status. We are actively investing in creating and fulfilling opportunities for all Africans in the drive towards continental digital transformation,” added Muraga.