DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, March 27, 2008 - Cisco® today announced that it has been selected as the preferred technology provider for the GEMS World Academy (GWA) Dubai, which is part of the network of GEMS Schools. GWA Dubai will be deploying the Cisco Digital Media System (DMS) to deliver timely and targeted information to teachers, students and parents. GWA is the first educational institute in the Gulf region to utilize Cisco's DMS and will also be deploying Cisco Unified Communications, wireless and security solution.

Sunny Varkey, founder and chairman, GEMS worldwide said, "At GEMS, we know first-hand that education can be transformed and that learning can become an exciting experience for all students who use technology. We strongly believe in providing education beyond the classroom, and therefore we were looking for a technology provider with a comprehensive platform. Cisco's Digital Media System offers visual media, which is an essential component of classroom instruction and a powerful way to communicate with and educate students."

Cisco's Digital Media System is a flexible and comprehensive solution for digital signage and desktop video that makes it easy to create, manage, publish, and access high-quality digital media for compelling communications. It will help create a virtual school environment at the GWA through the delivery of high-quality live and on-demand digital content containing critical information on lectures and school events as well as rules, regulations and policies. GEMS further plans to extend the technology to classrooms to provide students access to remote broadcasts, lectures and on-demand study material.

Sam Alkharrat, managing director, Cisco, Gulf and Pakistan said, "With the growth of technologies such as broadband, digital media and streaming content, video is an essential resource and productivity enhancer, bringing immediacy and intimacy into classroom communications. Through the deployment of Cisco's Digital Media System, GEMS will be able to offer a richer education experience for teachers, partners and students alike."

For more information on the Cisco Digital Media System please visit: http://www.cisco.com/go/dms

Note to Editors

The Cisco Digital Media System:

The Cisco Digital Media System enables organizations to create, manage, and access compelling digital media to easily connect customers, employees, partners, or students anywhere at anytime.

It is a flexible and comprehensive solution for publishing dynamic content to both networked, on-premise digital signage displays (Cisco Digital Signage) and the desktop (Cisco Desktop Video).

• Cisco Digital Signage: for flexible and centralized management and publishing of compelling digital media to networked, on-premise digital signage displays.
• Cisco Desktop Video: enables organizations to easily create and manage digital media, and give end users access to high-quality and compelling videos on-demand (VoD) and live Webcasts at their desktops.

Cisco introduced the solution as a new Emerging Technology in 2006.

For more information about the Cisco Digital Media System visit: http://www.cisco.com/go/dms

About GEMS World Academy

GEMS World Academy (GWA), Dubai is an international school for world citizens; a school where students benefit from an education beyond national curricula.

GWA Dubai aims to provide an outstanding international education for students aged 4 - 18, with an integration of family life unlike any other school in the region. GWA founding their school on their understanding of the IB philosophy and principles and introducing the PYP with the intention of seeking authorisation and eventual IB World Academy status. This is subject to the approval and authorisation processes of the IB which may take the school until Sept 2010 to complete. GWA Dubai will also seek full accreditation from the Council of International Schools (CIS).