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The Cisco Networking Academy Program (CNAP)
is an e-learning program that provides students with the technology
skills that are essential in today’s global economy. The Program is
a comprehensive 4-semester/280-hour course that trains students and
in-transition workers to design, build, and maintain complex
computer networks. More importantly, CNAP prepares students for
globally recognized, industry-standard certifications such as the
Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA).
CNAP started in the United States of
America in 1997. At the G-8 Summit in 2000, Cisco introduced the
Least Developed Countries (LDC) Initiative, presenting CNAP as a
development tool available on a not-for-profit, at-cost basis. This
initiative partnered Cisco with the United Nations Development
Program (UNDP), the Leland Initiative of the United States Agency
for International Development (USAID), and the United Nations
Information Technology Service (UNITeS) in an effort to bring
information technology training to the 49 Least Developed Countries
around the world. Today, CNAP, through all of its programming, has
spread to 152 countries – with over 10,000 Academies and 500,000
students and graduates worldwide.
CNAP was introduced in Bangladesh in
2000, in conjunction with the Asia-Pacific Development Information
Programme (APDIP) under the Cisco LDC Initiative. Bangladesh
University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) was signed on as the
first academy, originally acting as a Local Academy (LA) under APDIP,
then as an LA under IIIT-Hyderabad when the APDIP – Cisco
arrangement expired in 2001.
At the outset, only one academy was
selected (BUET), with future progress of CNAP in Bangladesh to be
based upon the success/failure of that academy. The first group of
38 students started the Program at BUET in February 2001, graduating
in June of 2002. Also in February 2001, a United Nations Volunteer
(UNV) was contracted to identify and assist additional institutions
in becoming academies. BUET formally signed on as a Regional
Academy in its own right in October 2002, assuming the
responsibilities of supporting growth in the number of Local
Academies appointed.
In January 2003, eight
additional LAs joined the program: Ahsanullah University of Science
and Technology, American International University of Bangladesh,
BRAC University, Chittagong University of Engineering and
Technology, Dhaka University of Engineering and Technology, Khulna
University of Engineering and Technology, Rajshahi University of
Engineering and Technology, and Shahjalal University of Science and
Technology. In October 2003,
Daffodil International
University registered as the most recent LA. As of May 2004 over
600 students are involved in CNAP, across
Bangladesh,
and additional LAs are being recruited.
For further information on Cisco
educational programs
This
following links provide more details on CISCO Network Programming:
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