Industry giants put millions of pounds into university research, but what do they expect in return? The THES spotlights three of the big spenders

Microsoft Student Scholarship Programme for undergraduate and graduate students. 1998-99 awards will total $1 million. The company will also offer graduate fellowships to computer science students. These will cover 100 per cent of costs for tuition, books and fees. They also include a laptop computer and stipend.

Instructional GrantProgramme has, since 1995, awarded more than $33 million in free licences for Microsoft development tools, applications and operating systems to 742 colleges and universities forintegrating new technology into curriculums.

Microsoft Innovatorsin Higher EducationChallenge awardssoftware to colleges and universities in recognition of innovative use oftechnology.

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Software donation worth $3.1 million to 28 institutions in North Carolina.

$250,000 donation to Western Governors University in form of cash, software, training and support for on-line education programmes.

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$1.5 million donation to National Council Of Educational Opportunity Association, which helps low-income students into higher education.

$70,000 donation in form of cash, software and technical support to help colleges and universities develop strategies for using new technologies.

Donation to Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities: $32,000 to update technology at association's central offices, and $1 million in software to four member institutions.