LUCKNOW, India -- 15 March 2001 - Cisco Systems, Inc., the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet, today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Uttar Pradesh, to set up the Cisco Networking Academy Program in 10 Polytechnics in the State with the Uttar Pradesh Development Systems Corporation (UPDESCO). (UPDESCO is the nodal agency for state-wide IT initiatives in Uttar Pradesh).
Uttar Pradesh Development Systems Corporation Limited (UPDESCO) will be designated as a Regional Networking Academy and receive networking equipment as well as comprehensive training, the Networking Academy curriculum, and technical support from Cisco Systems. The Regional Academy will in turn set up nine Local Networking Academies in Government Girls Polytechnics and one co-ed Polytechnic across Uttar Pradesh.
The Cisco Networking Academy Program focuses on teaching students how to design, build, and maintain computer networks. The program prepares students for the 21st Century workplace, while serving as a valuable model for e-learning. As of today, more than 170,000 students have enrolled in the program in 6,174 academies in 108 countries around the world.
"This is the first step in our fulfilment of the commitment made by John Chambers, President and CEO of Cisco Systems, to establish 34 Cisco Regional Networking Academies in every state and union territory in India, with UP being the very first state to implement this program on a state wide basis" said Manoj Chugh, President, India and SAARC Region, Cisco Systems.
"In addition, we are very excited that through this agreement, women across UP will be able to develop their skills and receive internationally recognised certifications, which would vividly show that the two great equalisers in life are the Internet and education," he added.
"We welcome this partnership with Cisco in the field of networking education, and we will endeavour to both incorporate the Networking Academy program as part of the State curriculum as well as encourage Network Academy graduates to do their tertiary education in IT in Uttar Pradesh itself," said Pankaj Agrawala, Secretary IT & Electronics Department, Government of Uttar Pradesh and Managing Director, UPDESCO.
The Regional Academy for Networking in Lucknow will join eight other existing Regional Academies - IIIT, Bangalore; IIIT, Hyderabad; National Centre for Software Technology, Mumbai; Osmania University, Hyderabad; MS University Baroda; Amrita Institute of Advanced Computing, Coimbatore; Regional Engineering College, Jalandhar; and Centre for Electronics Design & Technology, Gorakhpur.
Established in October 1997, the Cisco Networking Academy will help to close the global technology gap. The 280-hour program provides course work for a complete range of basic through advanced networking concepts>from pulling cable through to such complex concepts such as subnet masking rules and strategies. Through the Networking Academy program, students learn fundamental networking concepts and have a chance to apply their skills in hands-on lab exercises at the Networking Lab.
About Cisco Systems
Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet. Cisco news and information are available at www.cisco.com.
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