Hong Kong - January 20, 2003 - Cisco Systems today established its 1000th Cisco Networking Academy in the Asia Pacific region. The new academy, established in Tripura, India marks a major milestone in Cisco networking education program.

The Cisco Networking Academy Program provides students with IT knowledge and practical training they need for employment in professional networking occupations. Tens of thousands of students have graduated from the program since its launch in the region in 1998. Many of them have also obtained key qualifications such as associate-level Cisco CCNA. and professional-level Cisco CCNP.

"We're delighted to participate in the internationally recognized Cisco Networking Academy Program and become the one-thousandth Academy in Asia Pacific," said Salil Das, Joint Director, Information Technology, Tripura State Computerization Agency, operator of the new academy. "The Internet is creating unprecedented opportunities for businesses and individuals. We believe building the necessary Internet and IT skills will elevate India's competitive advantages in the global economy."

The Cisco Networking Academy Program's huge success highlights the strong demand for Internet skills. Cisco implemented the program in collaboration with governments, educational institutions, leading technology firms and community organizations. To date, Cisco has invested US$150 million in providing this program to nonprofit educational institutions worldwide.

More than 10,300 Academies operate in 148 countries worldwide. More than 210,000 students are enrolled students and 137,000 have graduated from the program globally. In Asia Pacific, more than 34,000 students from 24 countries are currently enrolled, with about 27,000 graduates to date.

Academies Succeed in Asia Pacific

The Cisco Networking Academy Program has received tremendous support from governments across the Asia Pacific region. Notably, the governments of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and some states in India have funded local institutions to participate in the Program.

Cisco aligns with public organizations worldwide. For example, in October 2001, the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) chose Cisco to participate in its Human Capacity Building Promotion Program. The goal of the China-initiated program is to bridge the "digital divide", or those who can effectively use technology and communications tools, such as the Internet, and those who cannot. Academies located in underserved communities and countries help local people learn the IT skills they need to join the global economy.

In collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), nine developing countries have established 18 Cisco Networking Academy sites. These are located in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Fiji, India, Mongolia, Nepal, Papua New Guinea and Sri Lanka. The initiative has provided more than 700 students in developing countries and least developed countries affordable IT education using both face-to-face and Web-based curriculum.

"We are very pleased to work with Cisco to build new Networking Academies for the world's least developed countries. The program represents a far-sighted response to a very real problem and makes an important contribution to help bridge the digital divide between rich and poor," said Mark Malloch Brown, Administrator, United Nations Development Programme.

Another pioneer in the region is the Box Hill Institute in Victoria, Australia. The institute was established as a Cisco Networking Academy in 1998 and is the Super Cisco Academy Training Center for Asia Pacific. It is dedicated to offering training, support and quality assurance for other academies as well as delivering the program to its own students.

"It is only through industry and education partnerships that educational providers like us are able to provide high-quality, industry-specific programs. Such programs equip our students for employment in the information communications and technology industry," said John Maddock, Chief Executive Officer, Box Hill Institute.

Industry Leaders Offer More Courses

Cisco has also expanded the program to include optional courses sponsored by IT industry leaders. For example, Cisco collaborated with HP, Panduit and Sun Microsystems to introduce new curriculum modules to Asia Pacific earlier this year. The optional modules encompass PC hardware and software essentials, network operating systems, voice and data cabling, fundamentals of UNIX and Java programming. The initiative aims to enhance the IT competencies of graduates to meet the demands in the market.

"The 1000th Academy marks a major achievement for the Cisco program, but more importantly, for education on a global scale. We're excited to see the enthusiasm from governments, educational institutions, community organizations and students in the Cisco Networking Academy Program," said Gordon Astles, President, Asia Pacific Operations of Cisco Systems. "We'll continue to create more opportunities for individuals to acquire the knowledge they need to succeed in managing, designing and developing the networks of the future."

More information about the Cisco Networking Academy Program is available at www.cisco.com/asiapac/academy