ACADEMIC MANAGEMENT SERVICES SELECTS MICRO FOCUS ENTERPRISELINK WITH COMPONENT GENERATOR FOR REUSING LEGACY ASSETS

-- AMS chooses Micro Focus for efficient and cost effective method of integrating back-end business processes with Web-based applications --

ROCKVILLE, Md., Dec. 3, 2002 - Micro Focus International Ltd. (Micro Focus®), today announced that Academic Management Services (AMS) has selected Micro Focus EnterpriseLink with Component Generator® to deliver new Web-based composite applications that reuse existing IT assets. By using this innovative technology, AMS is drawing upon valuable mainframe COBOL application assets to improve service to its colleges, universities, lenders and borrowers while laying the groundwork for use of newer technologies such as Web services.

AMS is well known as one of the nation's largest providers of integrated payment solutions for higher education and private school tuition. AMS Servicing Group, the campus-based loan servicing arm of AMS, has a significant investment in legacy applications, many written in COBOL. Recognizing that re-writing their loan servicing applications for Web-based transactions was not a practical or low-risk, high-return AMS Selects Micro Focus EnterpriseLink with Component Generator, approach, AMS found EnterpriseLink with Component Generator could deliver the most efficient and cost effective method for integrating back-end business processes with Web-based applications.

Web-enabling legacy applications will allow AMS Servicing Group to provide customers with an easy-to-use tool to update borrower account information and process transactions from any workstation on campus. Borrowers will be able to perform self-service activities such as monitoring account activity and processing transactions. AMS Servicing Group staff will recognize processing efficiencies and improve training time by introducing more user-friendly applications. "By involving customers in the development of the application, we can be sure that the tools we are developing are what the customer really needs," said Betsy Burton-Strunk, market development director of AMS Servicing Group. "Partnering with Micro Focus will allow us to take those wants and turn them into reality in a fairly short development window."

"A thorough analysis led us to Micro Focus because their product yielded the greatest benefit to leveraging our enterprise class server with the latest Web-enabling technologies such as Java and XML," said John Mariano, chief information officer and senior vice president of AMS. "The Component Generator solution will allow us to develop new applications once and generate code to multiple deployment platforms and architectures, meeting our strategic integration needs."

EnterpriseLink with Component Generator allows the capture of complete legacy application business process and automatically generates reusable, industry standard components in the form of JavaBeans, EJBs, COM and XML for use throughout the enterprise. It delivers a non-proprietary solution that ensures future flexibility with respect to technology options and doesn't require specialized Java or middleware expertise.

"It is not surprising that industry leaders like AMS are looking for solutions that bridge the gap between legacy and contemporary technologies," said Ian Archbell, vice president for product management at Micro Focus. "We are delighted that AMS shares our vision of the critical importance legacy systems and applications play in today's enterprise and we are committed to the success of AMS and its composite application initiatives."

About Micro Focus

Micro Focus is the fastest, most effective way to migrate, extend, develop and deploy enterprise applications. As the industry standard for COBOL, Micro Focus enables organizations to maximize ROI while reducing development costs for accelerated business success. Founded in 1976, Micro Focus is a global company with principal offices in the United Kingdom, United States and Japan. For more information, visit www.microfocus.com.

About AMS

AMS, headquartered in Swansea, Massachusetts is one of the nation's largest providers of integrated payment solutions for higher education and private school tuition. Since 1970, AMS has helped more than 4.5 million families pay for education. In addition, AMS offers free education payment counseling services via the phone and Web. AMS Servicing Group is on the World Wide Web at http://www.amsservicing.com .

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Micro Focus and Micro Focus EnterpriseLink with Component Generator are registered trademarks of Micro Focus International Ltd. Other products named in this release may be trademarks of their respective companies.