Cisco Networking Academy Program hosts Africa Forum
On November 3rd, 2002, numerous students, instructors, private sector
representatives, and international organizations came together in
Johannesburg, South Africa, to participate in the Cisco Networking
Academy Program Africa Forum. The conference was held specifically
to celebrate a milestone in the progress of the Least Developed
Countries (LDC) Initiative, in addition to providing instructors
the opportunity ask questions, participate in discussions, and share
common Academy experiences amongst themselves. Delegates to the
Africa Forum gathered to share their success stories, and find solutions
to their common challenges in providing quality Information technology
(IT) training within Africa. The South Africa location of the Forum
was a particular response to the difficulties of travel for instructors
in African LDCs-and it provided the means to bring training directly
to them in Africa.
Fred Baker, Cisco Fellow and Chairman of the Board with the Internet
Society, gave a detailed account of his experience at the Africa
Forum:
Technology
and Hope at the Cisco Networking Academy Africa Forum
At the Africa Forum, three Cisco Networking Academy LDC Initiative
women were featured for their determination in the Information Technology
field:
Africa's
New Tech Warriors
Launch of the Cisco Networking Academy Program at the Women
and Gender Studies Department at Makerere University, Kamapala,
Uganda
Kampala, Uganda - On October 31, 2002 Cisco Systems, Inc., and the
International Telecommunications Union (ITU) participated in the
launch of a Cisco Networking Academy in the Department of Gender
and Women's Studies at Makerere University. Established to increase
women's equality and participation within the information and communications
technology (ICT) sector, this program has resulted from a strong
partnership between the government, academia, international organizations
and the private sector, internationally and within Uganda. The launch
of this new academy at Makerere University marks the first time
that a gender-focused Cisco Networking Academy has been established
within a department of gender studies. In Uganda, the launch of
the Cisco Networking Academy program at the Department of Women's
and Gender Studies at Makerere University is an expansion of an
existing partnership effort in the country.
This one site is part of a much larger effort by Cisco Systems,
Inc., to expand the reach of the Cisco Networking Academy Program
to the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) of the world.
For more information on the Cisco Networking Academy launch in
Uganda: http://www.itu.int/newsroom/press_releases/2002/33.html
Cisco Systems Partners with UNDP to Help Afghanistan join
the Digital Age
Recently, Cisco Systems collaborated with the United Nations Development
Program (UNDP) to launch the first Cisco Networking Academy in Afghanistan.
The official launch ceremony took place on October 10, 2002 at Kabul
University. Zakia Prode, a student of computer science at the university
spoke at the event, highlighting the need for Internet (do you mean
Information Technology (IT) Technology in Afghanistan along with
the need for accelerating the involvement of women in the IT sector.
"We now have the Cisco Networking Academy Program for the first
time in Afghanistan. Today we move towards the civilized world.
We want to stand at the same level as the rest of the world in terms
of technology. The network enables us to finally have a close relationship
with the industrialized countries and become aware of the advantages
of Information Technology. We can now be servants to the vulnerable
people of our country using Internet/computer services. The students
of computer science promise to make ourselves ready to learn networking
to the best of our ability. Finally, thanks to Cisco for paying
attention," said Zakia in an inspiring speech.
For more information, please read article:
Cisco
Systems helps Afghanistan join the digital age
Past Event: Cisco Announces LDC Goals Met in 2001
In May 2001, the United Nations held its third conference on the
Least Developed Countries at the European Parliament in Brussels
(Conference site: www.unctad.org/conference). One of the three mandates
for the conference was to "consider the adoption of appropriate
national and international policy measures for sustainable development
of LDCs and their progression and integration into the world economy."
Organizers invited Christine Hemrick, Cisco Systems Vice President
of Strategic Technology Policy, to present the results of the LDC
Initiative. Hemrick announced that the partnership had exceeded
its goal to establish Academies in 24 countries. As of May 2001,
the group had launched 44 Cisco Networking Academies in 27 LDCs
around the globe.
Christine Hemrick presented at two sessions:
- The Challenge of Eradicating Poverty for Sustainable Development: International Community Response
- Education for All
She joined the ministerial panel on gender in LDCs:
- Building Capacities for Mainstreaming Gender in Development Strategies.
- This ministerial panel on gender in LDCs addressed the question: "Can gender equality lead to accelerated
socio-economic development in LDCs?" Agenda
and Speakers
(PDF - 15 KB)
