Cisco believes that the Internet and education are the great equalizers of the next century, and the lack of Internet-supported education and shortage of technology-savvy workers pose global dilemmas. India, in particular can make a quantum developmental leap by embracing information technology and making a commitment to match technological advancement with an investment in human skills. The Cisco Networking Academy Initiative is a timely response to these challenges. A highly successful alliance between Cisco, education, business, government and communities, it is attempting to address the deficit of networking professionals required by India (This was pegged at 118,000 in 2008 according to an IDC India study and expected to grow to 137,200 by 2009.)

Launched in 1997, the Cisco Networking Academy Program is a world-wide CSR program aimed at creating a pool of trained networking specialists. Cisco Networking Academy has been a global success with over 10,000 academies across more than 165 countries. Since its launch in India in 2000, it has grown to nearly 200 Cisco Networking Academies across India and impacted several thousand lives. With its focus on bridging the rural and the gender divide through special programs, it is creating a common platform: the Human Network.