The world’s largest software maker, Microsoft, will provide a special training program for promising South Koreans students in the IT field.

Microsoft's research institute in Beijing said Friday it will annually select 15 Korean graduate students majoring in computer, information and communications fields for a technology internship.

Lee Mee-ran, an official of the institute, said the special training program apparently recognizes the excellence of Korean students and the nation’s prowess in the IT sector.

The Education Ministry in Seoul plans to receive applications from participants of the state-sponsored Brain Korea 21 research projects to send them to the institute in Beijing.

The selected graduate students will receive one-on-one instruction from Microsoft researchers for six months and participate in global research projects.