KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - February 21, 2005 - Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) and Cisco Systems announced today the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) today regarding UniKL's appointment as a Regional Academy for the HP IT Essentials curriculum as a part of the Cisco Networking Academy Program. UniKL is currently a Local Academy offering the program's flagship Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) course. This initiative is aimed at increasing the number of high-quality knowledge workers for the Malaysian IT and Internet networking industry.
As a Regional Academy for the HP IT Essentials curriculum, UniKL will recruit, train and manage 13 Local Academies. UniKL also aims to expand its Networking Academy course offerings to other curricula including Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP), Fundamentals of Wireless LANs and Fundamentals of Network Security.
Said Prof. Dato' Seri Ibrahim Saad, President of UniKL, "The Cisco Networking Academy Program fits perfectly with UniKL's vision. When we first started offering the CCNA curriculum, we found that it provided our students with an excellent foundation in computer networking skills. By expanding the program and including the new IT Essentials curriculum, we will enable more of our young people to get acquainted with important IT skills. These skills will not only benefit them but the economy as a whole."
The HP IT Essentials curriculum consists of two courses, HP IT Essentials 1: PC hardware and Software and HP IT Essentials II: Network Operating Systems.
Mr. Kumaran Singaram, managing director of Cisco Systems Malaysia said, "Cisco has dedicated a tremendous amount of effort and resources towards the Cisco Networking Academy program because we feel strongly that Internet and networking skills are key differentiators in the Internet Economy. With our collaboration with UniKL, we hope to contribute to the development of a strong knowledge-based society in Malaysia. Governments benefit from the program as it develops a workforce skilled in the right tools; businesses have a bigger resource of IT-skilled workers to hire from; and educational institutions have an advanced technology curriculum which is rigorous and comprehensive enough to meet their educational standards."
About the Cisco Networking Academy Program
Launched in 1997, the Cisco Networking Academy Program is a partnership between Cisco Systems, education, business, government and community organisations around the world, aimed at nurturing IT professionals. The education program employs an e-learning model, using a combination of Web-based and instructor-led training along with a hands-on lab environment to teach students how to design, build and maintain computer networks.
The Program is now available in over 160 countries around the world and delivered in 9 languages. In Asia Pacific alone, there are over 1,200 Academies in 25 countries, teaching more than 92,000 students with more than 63,000 graduates with an international passport to a well paid career. Globally, Cisco is proud to have close to 1,000,000 students who have successfully completed networking and IT courses offered as a part of the diverse Academy curricula.
In Malaysia, there are 41 academies, over 3,000 students enrolled and 799 graduates.
About Cisco Systems
Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet. Information about Cisco can be found at www.cisco.com. For ongoing news, please go to newsroom.cisco.com. Asia Pacific news and information are available at www.cisco.com/asiapac/news.
About Universiti Kuala Lumpur
Ministry of Education has approved and granted the setting up of Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) in 17th June 2002, and it has been registered as a University in 20th August 2002.
Situated in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, it is a private university pioneer in technical and vocational area. UniKL is owned by Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) and managed by Universiti Teknikal MARA Sdn Bhd. It's a continuation towards the technical education and vocational systems managed by MARA.
Objectives of UniKL:-- To increase the number of trained professional in industrial sector to fulfill the need of manpower of the particular industry.
- To give quality education, reasonable and cost effective towards the birth of excellent student.
- To give an opportunity to Malaysian students to learn and using the sophisticated and high technology of study tools, qualified trainer and comfortable and serene study environment.
- UniKL has given an exposure to the students on "know-why" and "know-how" theory in their studies, therefore it will gear them up to be an excellent employee of any organization they attach with without further technical exercise. UniKL has become a pioneer in providing technical programmes not only the academic courses.
The merger of 7 technical institution is known as branch campus of UniKL and 3 faculties has strengthen UniKL as the centre of education , technical and research in the region. Each campus has their own specialization and benefited from fully technology transfer from develop country such as Australia, Britain, France, Spain and United State of America.
Faculties at UniKL- Faculty of Computer Engineering & Telecommunication Technology - UniKL FCET
- Faculty of Product Design and Manufacturing - UniKL FPDM
- Faculty Engineering Business Management - UniKL FEBM
- Universiti Kuala Lumpur Malaysia France Institute - UniKL MFI, Bangi Selangor
- Universiti Kuala Lumpur British Malaysian Institute - UniKL BMI, Gombak Selangor
- Universiti Kuala Lumpur Malaysian Spanish Institute - UniKL MSI, Kulim Kedah
- Universiti Kuala Lumpur Institut Infotech MARA - UniKL IIM, Kuala Lumpur
- Universiti Kuala Lumpur Malaysian Institute of Aviation Technology - UniKL MIAT, Dengkil Selangor
- Universiti Kuala Lumpur Malaysian Institute of Chemical and Bioengineering Technology - UniKL MICET, Taboh Naning Melaka
- Universiti Kuala Lumpur Malaysian Institute of Marine Engineering Technology - UniKL MIMET, Manjung Perak.
