Imagine Us

1. Competition description:

This is a skill-based Competition and chance plays no part in the determination of the winner(s). The object of this Competition is to encourage young high school students to apply their imagination, passion, and creativity to technology innovations that can make a difference in the world. Students can choose to participate in one of three categories: Web Design, Digital Video, or Graphic Design. In each of the categories, there is a specified set of Microsoft software that should be used. The theme of this year’s competition is “Using Technology to Solve the World’s Toughest Problems.”

Competition entries will be judged on a variety of criteria and winners will receive prizes. Expression software will be provided at no charge to participants’ high schools via a subscription to MSDN AA. To request the Expression software for your high school, please email imagine@microsoft.com. By using the teaching and learning materials that a team of educators developed, students will be able to create modern, attractive entries in a relatively short amount of time.

For purpose of this Competition, any original video, website or design that you create and submit in the Competition will be called an “entry.” All eligible entries received will be judged using the criteria described below to determine winners.

2. What are the start and end dates?

This Competition starts at 12:01 AM [Greenwich Mean Time (“GMT”)] on October 18, 2009 and ends at 11:59 PM [GMT] on May 3, 2010 (“Entry Period”). Entries must be received within the Entry Period to be eligible.

3. Can you enter?

You are eligible to enter this Competition if you meet the following requirements:

• You are a legal resident of United Arab Emirates, and you are between the ages of 13 to 19 at the time of entry; and
• You are NOT an employee of Microsoft Corporation or an employee of a Microsoft subsidiary; and
• You are NOT involved in any part of the administration and execution of this Competition; and
• You are NOT an immediate family (parent, sibling, spouse, child) or household member of a Microsoft employee, an employee of a Microsoft subsidiary, or a person involved in any part of the administration and execution of this Competition.
• You are a registered student of a high school in Abu Dhabi.
• You have a teacher from your school sponsoring your participation by registering online using the “Teacher Registration Form” (www.imagineusgulf.com)
• You are competing as part of a team of 3-4 students. Entries from individuals will not be eligible.
• You are only competing in one category.
• You have registered online using the “Student Registration Form”.
• Microsoft will confirm the list of students who are attending the final event with each of the participating schools.

This Competition is void outside the geographic area identified above and wherever else prohibited by law.

4. What constitutes an eligible entry?

To be eligible for judging your entry must meet the following content/technical requirements:

• Personal statement: 100 to 300 words long.
• Web design:
  • Pages can be HTML only (ASP and PHP files will not be viewed by the Competition judges).
  • The Web site folder should be converted into a single .ZIP file with the default.html or index.html page in the root of that folder. To convert your entry, right-click on the folder with all the files inside and choose Send To, Compressed Folder.
  • The Web site must be created using Microsoft Expression Web.
  • Judges will view the Web sites using Internet Explorer 8. Students should preview and test their Web sites using this browser.
• Digital Video:
  • Videos must be between five and ten minutes long.
  • You must use Windows Movie Maker to edit and publish your video.
  • Video files must be submitted in a Windows Media Video (WMV) file format.
• Graphic Design:
  • Posters must be in the following dimensions: 750 pixels wide and 1000 pixels high
  • Posters must be submitted in a Bitmap (BMP) file format
  • The poster must be created using Microsoft Expression Design.
  • All artwork must be an original creation by your team.
  • For complete grading details, please refer to the “Judging Criteria” section of the website (www.imagineusgulf.com)

In addition, by submitting your entry into this Competition you confirm that, to the best of your knowledge:

• your entry is your own original work; and
• your entry only includes material (including music, video or images) that you own, or that you have permission from the copyright / trademark owner to use; and
• you have obtained permission from any recognizable person (parent/guardian, if a minor) that appears in your entry to submit your entry in this Competition and to use their personal data in the entry for the purposes of the Competition (if applicable); and
• your entry has not been selected as a prize winner in any other competition. In the event of a conflict between the terms of use and these Official Rules, these Official Rules will govern.

5. How will my entry be potentially used?

Other than what is set forth below, we are not claiming any ownership rights to your entry. However, by submitting your entry, you:

• are granting us an irrevocable, worldwide right and license, for which you have received a sufficient remuneration, for the duration of the protection of the copyrights to: (i) reproduce, copy, modify or alter your entry with all known all later developed means; (ii) use, review, assess, test and otherwise analyse your entry and all its content in connection with this Competition; and (ii) feature your entry and all its content in connection with the promotion of this Competition in all media (now known or later developed);
• except where prohibited, hereby waive any and all so-called “moral rights” or any similar right that you may have or hereinafter acquire in the entry and all its content, and to the extent that you can not, you hereby consent to us doing or omitting to do any act that would otherwise infringe such “moral rights” or any such similar rights;
• agree to sign any necessary documentation that may be required for us and our designees to make use of the rights you granted above;
• understand and acknowledge that that Microsoft and other entrants may have developed or commissioned materials similar or identical to your submission and you waive any claims you may have resulting from any similarities to your entry;
• understand that we cannot control the incoming information you will disclose to our representatives in the course of entering, or what our representatives will remember about your entry. You also understand that we will not restrict work assignments of representatives who have had access to your entry. By entering this Competition, you agree that use of information in our representatives’ unaided memories in the development or deployment of our products or services does not create liability for us under this agreement or copyright or trade secret law;
• understand that you will not receive any compensation or credit for use of your entry, other than what is described in these Official Rules.

Please note that following the end of this Competition your entry may be posted on a website selected by us for viewing by visitors to that website. We are not responsible for any unauthorized use of your entry by visitors to this website. While we reserve these rights, we are not obligated to use your entry for any purpose, even if it has been selected as a winning entry.

If you do not want to grant us these rights to your entry, please do not enter this Competition.

6. How do you create and submit your entry?

By participating in this Competition, your high schools will receive a free subscription to Microsoft Developer Network Academic Alliance (MSDN AA) which includes the Expression software. To request the Expression software, your high school will need to email imagine@microsoft.com. The Expression suite of software includes the same graphic design and Web design tools that are currently used by professional Web designers. You will be allowed to install this software onto your home computer at no charge. In addition, if you are competing in the Digital Video category, you should download Windows Movie Maker.

In addition, Microsoft has created tutorials and learning materials that allow any beginner to create a potentially winning entry. These materials are available for no charge at: http://www.microsoft.com/facultyconnection/precollegiate

You must form a team of 3 to 4 people. The same person cannot be on multiple teams. Each team member must register online at www.imagineusgulf.com by the registration deadline (March 24, 2010). During the registration, you and each team member must visit the Web site, review the rules and register themselves to be on a team. One of the team members must identify themselves as the team captain, and this person will be responsible for any communication with the contest organizers, and for uploading (submitting) the team’s entry.

No additional team members can be added after the competition registration deadline has passed.

If you or one of your team members withdraws from the Competition before an entry is submitted, then the team captain must notify the sponsoring teacher at your high school. The sponsoring teacher must notify the organizers via email (imagine@microsoft.com). Only participating and registered team members will be eligible for prizes.

Once registered, your team must use Expression suite of software and/or Windows Movie Maker to create an entry that best illustrates the theme “Using Technology to Solve the World’s Toughest Problems.” To submit your entry for judging, your team captain must navigate to www.imagineusgulf.com and click on the Submit link. They then must enter their email address and the password they created at registration. Once signed in, your team captain must upload one .zip file of your entire entry by May 3, 2010. We will only accept 1 entry per team and e-mail address. In other words, two people may not enter using the same email address – you must enter using a unique email address. We are not responsible for entries that we do not receive for any reason, or for entries that we receive but are not decipherable for any reason.

We will automatically disqualify:

(1) Incomplete or illegible entries; and
(2) Entries that we receive in excess of the entry limit described above.

7. How will entries be judged?

There will be two rounds of judging. The first round will be conducted after the entry submission deadline (May 3, 2010) and will be conducted by a panel of qualified judges from Microsoft (whose names will be available on request). The top ten teams in each category will be invited to the final Imagine Us event on May 22nd, 2010. The second round of judging will take place during the final Imagine Us event. Points from the first round will not be carried over to the final round.

During the final Imagine Us event, Microsoft will convene a panel of volunteer judges to assign points in the following two areas for each team: submission (150 points), and oral presentation (50 points). At this point, the submissions are evaluated by the volunteer judges and any points received during the first round are not carried over. There will be a first, second and third prize winning team in each category.

For complete grading details, please refer to the “Judging Criteria” section of the website (www.imagineusgulf.com).

The decisions of these judges are final and binding. The final decision will be made on or around May 22, 2010. If we do not receive a sufficient number of entries meeting the entry requirements, we may, at our discretion based on the above criteria, select fewer than 3 winning teams per category. In the event of a tie between any eligible entries, the tie will be broken by an additional judge who will judge the tied entries based on the criteria listed above.

8. Whats is/are the prize(s)?

Students have a chance to win fantastic prizes! Judges will select a first, second and third place winning team in each category. Prizes will be awarded to each member of the winning teams as well as the sponsoring teacher.

• First place: Laptop with Windows 7 and Microsoft Office 2007 installed. The winners will also be invited to a VIP lunch at the Microsoft Gulf office in Dubai to meet with the General Manager. Winners will have the chance to see the latest technologies and speak to the leaders!
• Second place: Xbox360 Elite console and a game
• Third place: Windows Mobile phone

All students who have successfully made it to the final event will receive an Imagine Us shirt as well as a bag filled with fun items. In addition, there will be prizes that can be won through raffles. The odds of winning will depend on the number of eligible entries received and the level of skill of each entrant.

If for any reason the advertised prize is unavailable, unless to do so would be prohibited by law, we reserve the right to substitute a prize(s) of equal or greater value, as permitted. We will only award one (1) prize per person. If you are selected as a potential winner of this Competition:

(1) You may not exchange your prize for cash or any other merchandise or services.
(2) You may not designate someone else as the winner. If you are unable or unwilling to accept your prize, we will award it to an alternate potential winner.
(3) If you accept a prize, you will be solely responsible for all applicable taxes related to accepting the prize.
(4) If you are a minor in your place of residence, we may award the prize to your parent/legal guardian on your behalf and your parent/legal guardian shall be designated as the winner.

9. How will you know if you’re a winner?

Judging will occur in 2 stages. The top ten teams in each category during the first round will be invited to the final Imagine Us event. A letter will be sent to the school inviting these teams to the event. We will also notify you about your invitation to the final event by sending a message to the e-mail address, the phone number, or mailing address (if any) listed on your entry by May 3, 2010. If the notification that we send is returned as undeliverable, or you are otherwise unreachable for any reason, we may award the prize to an alternate winner.

The second round of judging will take place during the final event. Points from the first round will not be carried over to the final round. The Competition winners will be announced during the event, held on May 22, 2010.

If there is a dispute as to who is the potential winner, we will consider the potential winner to be the authorized account holder of the e-mail address used to enter the Competition.

If you are a potential winner, we may require you to sign a declaration of eligibility, use, indemnity and liability/publicity release. If you are a potential winner and are a minor in your place of residence, and we require that your parent or legal guardian shall be designated as the winner pursuant to clause 8(4) above, we may require that they sign a declaration of eligibility, use, indemnity and liability/publicity release on your behalf. If you, (or your parent/legal guardian if applicable), do not sign and return these required forms within the time period listed on the winner notification message, we may disqualify you (or the designated parent/legal guardian) and select an alternate selected winner.

10. What other conditions are you are agreeing to by entering this competition?

By entering this Competition you agree:

(1.) To abide by these Official Rules;

(2.) To the extent allowable under applicable law, to release and hold harmless Microsoft, their respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, employees and agents from any and all liability or any injury, loss, damage, right, claim or action of any kind arising from or in connection with this Competition or any prize won save for residents of the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, France and Germany with respect to claims resulting from death or personal injury arising from Microsoft’s negligence, for residents of the United Kingdom with respect to claims resulting from the tort of deceit or any other liabilities that may not be excluded by law, and for residents of Australia in respect of any implied condition or warranty the exclusion of which from these Official Rules would contravene any statute or cause any part of these Official Rules to be void;

(3.) That Microsoft’s decisions will be final and binding on all matters related to this Competition; and

(4.) That by accepting a prize, Microsoft may use your name and place of residence online and in print, or in any other media, in connection with this Competition, without payment or compensation to you. The declaration of eligibility, use, indemnity and liability/publicity release provided to the potential winner (pursuant to clause 9 above) will make reference to obtaining his/her free consent to use his/her name and place of residence. In any case, the lack of such consent does not prevent the winner from receiving the prize.

This Competition will be governed by the laws of Dubai, and you consent to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the courts of Dubai for any disputes arising out of this Competition.

11. What if something unexpected happens and the competition can’t run as planned?

If someone cheats, or a virus, bug, catastrophic event, or any other unforeseen or unexpected event that cannot be reasonably anticipated or controlled, (also referred to as force majeure) affects the fairness and / or integrity of this Competition, we reserve the right to cancel, change or suspend this Competition. This right is reserved whether the event is due to human or technical error. If a solution cannot be found to restore the integrity of the Competition, we reserve the right to select winners based on the criteria specified above from among all eligible entries received before we had to cancel, change or suspend the Competition.

Computer “hacking” is unlawful. If you attempt to compromise the integrity or the legitimate operation of this Competition by hacking or by cheating or committing fraud in ANY way, we may seek damages from you to the fullest extent permitted by law. Further, we may ban you from participating in any of our future Competitions, so please play fairly.

12. How can you find out who won?

We will post the names of confirmed winners online by June 12, 2010 at www.imagineusgulf.com. This list will remain posted until August 31, 2010.

13. Who is sponsoring this competition?

Microsoft Gulf is the sponsor of this Competition.

Microsoft Gulf LLC
Dubai Internet City, Building #8
PO Box 52244
Dubai, U.A.E

Tel: +971 (4) 3917000

14. Privacy

Microsoft’s Privacy Policy will apply to this Competition and to all information that we receive from your entry. Please read the Privacy Policy on the Competition entry page before accepting the Official Rules and submitting your entry. Please note that by accepting the Official Rules you are also accepting the terms of the Privacy Policy.