Microsoft to Double Skolkovo Presence

Microsoft is planning to double its research staff at the Skolkovo innovation hub, the company said.

The expansion is part of an agreement expanding the software giant's partnership with the innovation hub that Microsoft Russia president Nikolai Pryanishnikov and Skolkovo Foundation senior vice president Igor Drozov signed Tuesday.

There are currently over 70 people working at Microsoft’s research and development center at Skolkovo. Microsoft wants to double the number; the company said in a statement.

The R&D center will work on “cross platform solutions for smartphones and tablets for real time transmission and synchronized communication of multimedia content to a wide audience of users worldwide,” the company said.

Research is likely to focus on solutions using existing wireless technology like WiFi, 3G and LTE, as well as cloud computing.

The announcement was made during Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer's visit to Moscow.

“Widening our cooperation with Skolkovo in the framework of the R&D center will allow us to tap the great potential of Russia to produce world-class programming products,” Ballmer said in a news release.

/The Moscow Times/

staff[stɑːf] - штат служащих; служебный персонал; кадры

hub[hʌb] - центр (событий, внимания, деятельности), сердечник, хаб

currently['kʌr(ə)ntlɪ]; ['kɜːr(ə)ntlɪ] - теперь, в настоящее время; ныне

solution [sə'luːʃ(ə)n] - решение, разрешение (проблемы); разъяснение

to expand[ɪk'spænd], [ek-] - расширять(ся); увеличивать(ся) announcement[ə'naun(t)smənt] - объявление, сообщение; извещение

in the framework ['freɪmwɜːk] - в рамках, в пределах чего-л.

to tap[tæp] - открывать, извлекать, начинать использовать

3. Answer these questions:

1. Is Microsoft planning to extend its research staff at the Skolkovo Innovation hub?

2. How many people are currently working at Microsoft’s research and development center at Skolkovo?

3. What wireless technology is the research likely to use?

4. What will the widening cooperation with Skolkovo allow Microsoft to do?

Text 2

1. Read the article:

Skolkovo Institute Launched

The Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology has launched its first academic year, the institute said Monday.

Skolkovo Tech president Edward Crawley kicked off the inaugural SkTech/MIT Innovation Workshop, an intensive four-week course. Skolkovo Tech's Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, designed the course specifically for Skolkovo Tech students to teach them how to bridge the gap between technological prowess and creating a broad impact.

From September, the students will spend an academic year abroad at one of four leading research universities — Imperial College in London, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology or MIT — before returning to Skolkovo Tech for the next two years of their program.

/The Moscow Times/

to launch [lɔːnʧ] - запускать

to kick off -вводить мяч в игру ударом с центра, начинать

workshop['wɜːkʃɔp] - мастерская; цех, секция; семинар; симпозиум

entrepreneurship[ˌɔntrəprə'nɜːʃɪp]; [ˌɑːntrəprə'nɜːʃɪp] - предпринимательство

collaboration[kəˌlæb(ə)'reɪʃ(ə)n] - сотрудничество, совместная работа

to bridge a gap - ликвидировать разрыв

prowess['prauɪs], [-es] - искусство, мастерство, умение, доблесть

2. Which of these statements are true? Correct the false ones.

1. The Skolkovo Institute has started its second academic year in Moscow.

2. The Course is designed for Skolkovo Tech Students.

3. The students will spend an academic year abroad at one of four leading humanitarian universities.

4. The course will teach students how to bridge the gap between technological might and creating a broad impact.

Text 3

1. Read the article.