This year, more than 850 MVPs representing 17 countries gathered together in cities across the globe to participate in 10 Open Days events. These events feature technical sessions designed to enhance the community’s understanding of new Microsoft products, existing tools and new techniques. But MVPs don’t come to learn just from Microsoft teams; many also present during Open Days, which allows MVPs to share their real-world knowledge of Microsoft technologies in “Ask an Expert” sessions, key note speeches and technical sessions. Below are the highlights from some of the recent worldwide Open Day events.
China
Approximately 107 MVPs from the China Mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan gathered in Beijing for the 2012 GCR MVP Open Days. The event featured technical break out sessions which covered topics ranging from Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 to Windows Phone 8 and the new Office.
“The technical breakout sessions are very exciting with riche content,” said one MVP.
In addition to the various technical discussions, 39 MVPs earned top honors and were recognized for their outstanding contributions in the past year. MVPs didn’t waste any time while at the event, not even to eat. MVPs scheduled breakfast and lunch meetings to continue sharing and absorbing the quantity of information being shared.
“During this breakfast meeting, I learned more about Microsoft than I had before and better understand the direction Microsoft is heading,” said ASP.NET/IIS MVP Shoubin yang.
Europe
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Munich was host to 100 MVPs from around Europe as experts gathered to learn, network and share their expertise. The two day event featured 15 sessions covering a wide range of topics such as Windows 8, Windows Phone 8, Office 365, Search Engine Optimization and Social Media. Check out a great video recap from the German MVP Open Day event including interviews with Microsoft team members and MVPs. To read more, click here
Spain and Portugal
This year’s Spain/Portugal Open Days event was held in conjunction with TechDay 2012. The two-day event was lauded as a great success due in part to the high participation of MVPs. A total of 58 MVPs lent their knowledge and expertise to the community through a variety of presentations, breakout sessions and “Ask the Expert” panels. One MVP even spent the better part of a day performing a robotics demonstration at the “MVP Experts Booth.” Organizers created achievement badges for attendees to show who deployed an Azure site, published an app, attended a lab and had their picture taken with an evangelist. One MVP was overheard saying that this year’s event was, “THE best Open Day in history!”
Korea
The University of Seoul was home to 78 MVPs during a two-day event in which 12 MVPs received the 2012 Korean MVP Contribution Award. The Korean Open Days event started off with a knowledge donation seminar presented by 9 MVPs at which university students, IT professionals, NGO group members and others were able to learn more about a variety of Microsoft technologies, including the newly released Windows 8.
“The MVP sessions were so well prepared. We hope to have follow-up sessions,” said University Computer Center CIO Seongjong Choi. To read more click here
Central Eastern Europe and Italy
Recently more than 85 MVPs from 18 countries came together for the second annual Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) & Italy MVP Open Days. It was hosted in the beautiful venue of Osijek, right in the middle of the region (close to Hungary, Serbia, Bosnia and Romania),where we had a great opportunity to network, strengthen relationships with MVPs in the region, and gather valuable MVP product and program feedback. To read more, click here
Paris
MVPs gathered in Paris this October to attend the French Open Days event. A wide variety of technical discussions were led by MVPs on a number of different topics including: Windows 8, Windows Phone 8, SQL Server and Windows Azure. When all was said and done, 56 MVPs participated in the event held in the Microsoft France Conference Center. After a long day of sessions, attendees had a chance to network, meet new colleagues and relax in Paris’s City Center.