Analysts credit CEO Schmidt with doing an outstanding job of getting the message to key decision makers, and they expect his efforts to start reaping significant dividends before year-end.

CNN: The rebirth of Novell

"This programme is a wonderful opportunity to bring pupils into direct contact with outstanding mathematicians and to get across the message to future generations that maths can be both educational and fun, " said the project's director, Professor John Barrow.

BBC: Maths link aims to motivate pupils