SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 6, 2007 -- Worldwide Education and Research Conference (WWERC) -- Sun Microsystems Inc. (Nasdaq: SUNW), the creator of Java(TM) technology and Solaris(TM) Operating System (Solaris OS), the most advanced operating system on the planet, today announced the opening of its annual Worldwide Education and Research Conference in San Francisco, February 6-8, 2007. Furthering Sun's work in eliminating the Digital Divide and promoting collaboration in academia, the 2007 WWERC will define a new age for education - Education 2.0. Attendees will explore the state of education today; the move to new teaching, administrative and research models in the Participation Age; and the Sun technology that will enable the transformation to Education 2.0.

By offering perspectives by global experts and education leaders, Sun will provide CIOs, researchers and professors with a practical understanding of the technological trends that will support new modes of collaboration, social networking and the evolving demands of the new "Web 2.0 student." These trends include rich media, such as video, gaming, simulations, animation and virtual reality, which is an increasingly important component to online learning and enables new forms of interactivity for faculty and students.

At WWERC, guest speakers and Sun executives will also discuss the issues that students have identified as hot topics, based on feedback from a survey of students involved in Sun's global Campus Ambassador program. Students expressed high expectations for e-learning resources, wireless access and open source tools from a university's campus technology infrastructure. University CIOs are faced with meeting these demands, while enabling the "knowledge enterprise" of the 21st century with secure identity management and digital content.

Kim Jones, vice president of Global Government, Education and Healthcare, Sun Microsystems, will open the conference with a keynote presentation called, "Education 2.0: Blink and You'll Miss It," focused on the Participation Age, Web 2.0 and the rise of Education 2.0. Sun describes Education 2.0 as the tools and technologies that allow students, faculty and researchers to access resources and content at any time, no matter where they are, enabling a high degree of collaboration and participation in the educational process. Jones will also discuss the effect that globalization is having on education, and the rise of "Digital Natives"-- the new generation of young people, born between 1981 and 2000, whose learning styles have been profoundly influenced by digital media. Scott McNealy, chairman and co-founder, Sun Microsystems, will present a keynote called, "Implications of Web 2.0 for Education," outlining his vision for collaborative education.

"With the emergence and popularity of Web 2.0 technologies, the education industry is experiencing a disruptive moment in which modes of teaching, learning and research are changing profoundly," said Kim Jones, vice president of Global Government, Education and Healthcare. "For example, the role of professor or teacher is quickly changing from being the source of knowledge to an orchestrator of collaborative knowledge creation. As technological literacy becomes a prerequisite for participation in the global economy, educational and governmental institutions need to eliminate the Digital Divide. They also must find a way to cost-efficiently provide students worldwide with 24x7 access to educational resources."

Sun will also be announcing a collaboration with the Digital Hollywood University Project (DHUP), an international consortium focused on ways to use digital media entertainment technology to enhance the teaching and learning experience. Sun will sponsor an e-learning island for DHUP in virtual world Second Life, designed by students, and used for film screenings, interactive curriculum, collaboration and mentorship. Sun will share a spectrum of content and technology with DHUP, including Project Darkstar, Sun Grid, media servers, Project Looking Glass 3-D technology and Open Media Commons. Digital Hollywood is the leading trade conference for entertainment studies and performing arts, serving more than 15,000 top executives from various horizontal and vertical markets and Sun's investment in the DHUP represents their commitment towards the future of the industry.

"The Digital Hollywood University Project is unique as it serves as a virtual workshop where new media educators, technologists and practitioners can join together to explore new educational paradigms," said Jane Kagon, director at UCLA Extension Department of Entertainment Studies and Performing Arts. "Together with Sun, we look to provide an open resource for shared knowledge and innovation."

At WWERC, Sun is also announcing its Sun Education Essentials program to help educational institutions solve big problems on a small budget by offering rock-bottom prices on Sun systems and storage. The program is free for qualifying organizations and includes discounts of up to 50% off list price. New configurations will be added regularly and can be purchased direct or through a Sun Authorized Reseller for Education.

Sun executives will also showcase unique solutions based on emerging Sun technologies and solutions for HPC, global e-learning, new media and eco- responsibility. Sun's primary contribution to eco-responsibility is centered on technological innovation. With products like the Sun Fire(TM) T1000 and T2000 CoolThreads(TM) technology servers and Sun Ray(TM) thin clients, Sun is meeting the increasing demand for hardware that is sustainable, energy- efficient, uses less harmful materials and has a clear plan for reuse or recycling. For example, in the United Kingdom, the Bradford Building Schools for the Future (BSF) project is installing Sun Ray thin clients because the low power needs of these systems allows the schools to achieve their carbon footprint goals and reduce their power bills. Lower cooling requirements for new school construction means that more funds can be dedicated to classrooms and other amenities, achieving more-and more flexible-learning delivery within the same budget.

Other highlights include a student panel on what students expect today and a fireside chat with John Gage, chief researcher and vice president, Science Office, Sun Microsystems, and Tom Campbell, dean of the Haas School of Business at the University of California at Berkeley, two-time U.S. Congressman and former director, California Department of Finance. Further, WWERC attendees will have the opportunity to network with education thought leaders from more than 50 countries, enjoy provocative break-out sessions on specific areas of interest and visit a Solutions Pavilion highlighting best-of breed technology.

Guest luminaries at WWERC will share thoughts on how technology is improving education and driving social and planetary change. Highlights include a keynote addressing key issues for education in the 21st Century by Charles Reed, chancellor of the California State University system, the largest senior system of public higher education with an annual budget of more than $5 billion. Additionally, Stuart Sim, CTO and chief architect, Moodlerooms, will speak about how open source software has dramatically lowered the cost of entry and adoption of powerful e-Learning solutions for schools around the globe.

Featured Sun Speakers:

Andy Bechtolsheim, chief architect and senior vice president, Network Systems

Tim Bray, director of Web Technologies

David Douglas, vice president, Eco-Responsibility

John Fowler, executive vice president, Systems

John Gage, chief researcher and vice president, Science Office

Rich Green, executive vice president, Software

Kim Jones, vice president, Global Government, Education and Healthcare.

Scott McNealy, chairman and co-founder

Chris Melissinos, chief gaming officer

Greg Papadopolous, chief technology officer and executive vice president of research and development

Hal Stern, senior vice president, Systems

David Yen, vice president, Storage

Featured Guest Speakers:

Cory Doctorow, author, Boing Boing (blog); Fulbright Chair, USC; World Economic Forum Young Global Leader 2007

Ted Dodds, CIO, University of British Columbia

Jane Kagon, director, Entertainment Studies and Performing Arts, UCLA Extension.

Michael Keller, university librarian and director, Academic Information Resources, Stanford University

Professor Satoshi Matsuoka, Tokyo Institute of Technology

Richard Mount, director, Scientific Computing, Stanford Linear Accelerator

John Oberlin, associate vice chancellor for IT, University of North Carolina

Charles Reed, chancellor, California State University

Stuart Sim, CTO and chief architect, Moodlerooms

Dr. Gerri Sinclair, president, Premier's Technology Council

Nick Tate, IT director, The University of Queensland.

Sun has been hosting the WWERC for more than 20 years in order to bring together education and thought leaders to discuss the evolution of education and the role technology plays in enhancing global learning, teaching and research.

About Sun Microsystems, Inc.

A singular vision- "The Network Is The Computer" -guides Sun in the development of technologies that power the world's most important markets. Sun's philosophy of sharing innovation and building communities is at the forefront of the next wave of computing: the Participation Age. Sun can be found in more than 100 countries and on the Web at sun.com.

    FOR MORE INFORMATION
    Melissa Pereira
    Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Phone: 408.884.4980
    Email: melissa.pereira@sun.com