November 2, 2011
Hitachi Solutions

TOKYO, November 2, 2011 . Hitachi Solutions, Ltd. today announced that it has been awarded a contract by the government of the Republic of Malta to deliver over 1,800 StarBoard interactive whiteboards for use in all public elementary and junior high school classrooms in the country.

Malta's Ministry of Education, Employment and the Family (MEEF) and the Malta Information Technology Agency (MITA) are working on a joint project to bring information and communication technology (ICT) to schools in the country. After examining interactive whiteboard technology, the project partners concluded that interactive whiteboards facilitate classroom participation and help stir the interest of students, while functioning as an ICT tool that teachers can use without specialized expertise.

Based on the project's recommendations, the Maltese government decided to install the StarBoard from Hitachi Solutions, for use in all classrooms of Malta's public elementary and junior high schools. Hitachi Solutions was awarded a contract to deliver over 1,800 StarBoard interactive whiteboards, and has already delivered 1,530 units as of October 31, 2011 with the remaining units to be delivered by the end of 2011, bringing the new technology to every classroom in the country. Hitachi Solutions will also provide maintenance support for the next five years.

The Maltese government has additionally decided to adopt digital content from the UK publisher Cambridge University Press for use in the nation's schools. Hitachi Solutions, which operates a joint venture with Cambridge University Press, will not only provide the hardware but also endeavor to facilitate the spread of ICT in Malta schools by helping to provide digital content.

Malta is situated in the center of the Mediterranean, and the decision by the Maltese government to integrate interactive whiteboards into its schools is bound to influence surrounding countries. Hitachi Solutions will globally market solutions that are configured around StarBoard and which incorporate content distribution. These marketing efforts will include a sales push in markets in southern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.

Photo: Hitachi Solutions' StarBoard interactive whiteboards
being used in elementary school classrooms in Malta

1. Touch operation with finger or pen

Operate computers, and write or draw on the screen using a finger, stylus pen, or electronic pen.

2. Simultaneous input

Multi-user (up to three) feature opens up new possibilities for innovative use. Also provides gesture control, such as zoom in and out, eraser, and scroll.

3. Extensive content and tools for schools

StarBoard Software includes extensive content and tools for schools, covering subjects like math, geography and science. Teachers can quickly prepare lessons and teaching materials using the software.

4. Multilingual support

StarBoard Software offers built-in multilingual support and the ability to switch the display language between more than 30 international languages.

The Republic of Malta is an island nation in the Mediterranean, and is situated south of the island of Sicily near the Italian peninsula. Malta's capital is Valletta and the nation has a population of some 410,000 citizens (as of the end of 2009). The country's official languages are Maltese and English, and it is a member of both the Commonwealth of Nations and the European Union.

http://www.hitachisolutions-eu.com/

Corporate Communications Department
E-mail: inquiry@hitachi-solutions.com

Hitachi Solutions, Ltd., headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is a solutions provider with approximately 10,000 employees. Hitachi Solutions provides value-driven services throughout the IT life cycle, from systems planning to systems integration, operation, and maintenance. For more information on Hitachi Solutions, please visit the company's website at http://www.hitachi-solutions.com.

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