The platform also encourages collaboration between schools, enabling educators to easily share teaching best practices.

Sun Microsystems India recently announced the next phase in its partnership with Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU), Karnataka -- the launch of VTU EDUSAT Programme-9. As part of this programme, Sun Microsystems Learning services will conduct 50 hours of free-of-cost training on Sun technologies which will be beamed on the EDUSAT network to all the 111 VTU colleges and recorded for re-play in the future.

The training will be conducted as part of Sun's training and certification activities by instructors from Sun Learning Services, Sun's engineers from Sun India Engineering Centre, and other subject matter experts.

The topics covered will aim to give the students an introduction to cutting-edge technologies with additional inputs on how to prepare for careers in software development in an increasingly open source world.

Sun would provide VTU students expert knowledge on several key areas such as Java, Open Solaris, Identity Management, Virtualisation, SOA, and the most popular open source database, MySQL. Through this programme, Sun Learning and VTU aim to provide students, even those in the remotest parts of Karnataka, the opportunity to listen to renowned industry experts speak on these technologies.
Breaking barriers

Anil Valluri, vice-president and managing director, Sun Microsystems India, said, "The application of technology in education has helped break barriers to education, whether cultural, economic, or physical. Further, advances in technology have helped open new vistas for teaching, learning and collaboration that are altering the face of education in the country. At Sun, we are committed to leveraging our strengths in open source technology to fuel this transformation."