Cisco Extends UN Women Partnership and Commends the Public Security Directorate for Cisco® Networking Academy® Program in Jordan

Jordan’s Princess Sumaya University for Technology Hosts Successful ‘Arabian Adventure Roadshow’ for MENA Academy Community

Amman, Jordan 27 June 2011 – Cisco joined forces with Jordan’s Princess Sumaya University for Technology to host the annual 2-day ‘Arabian Adventure Roadshow’ in Jordan. This year’s event was opened by guest of honor, HRH Princess Sumaya bint El Hassan, president of El Hassan Science City and chairman of the Board of Trustees, Princess Sumaya University for Technology.

During the event Cisco reconfirmed its commitment to extend its partnership with UN WOMEN (United National Entity for Gender Empowerment and the Equality of Women) for a further 3 years. The company also recognized and commended the Public Security Directorate for successful deployment of the Cisco Networking Academy program in Jordan.

This event gathered hundreds of representatives from the Networking Academy community from all over Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine and Gulf countries.

Highlights / Key Facts:

• The ‘Arabian Adventure Roadshow’ offers knowledge and skills from the Networking Academy community as well as partners throughout Jordan. The event provided a forum for delegates to exchange thoughts and interact with Cisco experts on different matters, as well as network and enhance our business development activities.
• The Networking Academy program started in Jordan in 1999 and today here are 20 active academies, which have trained a total 7,653 students since inception of whom 31% are female. There are 1021 active Networking Academy program students and 60 active instructors in Jordan.
• The ‘Achieving E-quality in the ICT’ (AEQ) project is a joint collaboration between Cisco, UN WOMEN, and the Jordanian Ministry of Education, Ministry of Higher Education and Ministry of ICT that aims to incorporate the Cisco training program into curricula offered to students at different levels.
• The Networking Academy program provides ICT skills to students globally to improve their career and economic opportunities. It operates in high schools, colleges, universities, technical and military schools, community-based organisations, and government bodies. Its curriculum combines the theory and practice of designing, developing and implementing the networks that underpin businesses and other organisations.

Executive Quotes:

• Dr Ali Al-Haj, professor and Cisco academy program coordinator, Princess Sumaya University, Jordan

“Cisco’s Arabian Adventure Roadshow is an investment that pays long-term dividends by offering the knowledge and skills that the MENA Networking Academy community as well as partners throughout the region need to make a powerful difference in their workplace and industry. We are proud to have hosted this year’s event particularly as the Networking Academy program in Jordan is growing from strength to strength and is really making a difference  since it first started over 11 years ago.”

• Ashraf Arafeh, general manager, Cisco Jordan

“We are delighted that the Jordanian Government understands the vital contribution that the Networking Academy program is making towards providing ICT skills to improve career and economic opportunities for everyone in Jordan. With nearly 900 students enrolled in the program in Jordan today, together we are taking significant strides towards improving the future for Jordanian citizens.”

Links / URLs:

• Emerging Markets RSS Feed:

http://newsroom.cisco.com/data/syndication/rss2/EmergingMarkets.xml

• Middle EastNews: 

http://www.cisco.com/web/ME/about/news/index.html

• RSS Feed for Cisco:http://newsroom.cisco.com/dlls/rss.html
• For more details about the Cisco Networking Academy program please visit: http://www.cisco.com/web/learning/netacad/index.html

About Cisco

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