University Xboxing clever with new deal

TECHNOLOGY giant Microsoft is set to fund scholarships for students at a leading Scottish university.

The company’s research arm, which is based in Cambridge, will support those carrying out PhDs in informatics at Edinburgh University.

It is hoped the joint initiative will encourage a new generation of Scottish innovators. Those studying at the university’s school of informatics, the largest of its kind in the UK, will work with Microsoft Research, which is responsible for some of the latest advancements in science and technology, including the Xbox Kinect – the fastest-selling device in gaming history.

The company’s Rick Rashid, senior vice-president for research at Microsoft, launched the scholarships at the university earlier this week.

Professor David Robertson, head of the School of Informatics, said: “In Edinburgh, we have one of the most long-standing computer science and artificial intelligence centres in the UK.

“In all that time, there has been a strong relationship between the university and Microsoft. This is another key step along the way.”