The University of Information Technology and Management in Rzeszów has been awarded the prestigious Golden Bridge Award as a distinguished partner of the Cisco Networking Academy. This esteemed accolade was presented to UITM in recognition of their exceptional implementation of the Start IT program as part of the Cisco4Ukraine initiative, along with their unwavering support for Ukrainian refugees. The Golden Bridge Award is given to only four Cisco Networking Academy Partners in four regions of the world.
The Golden Bridge Award is given to projects that use technology and education to significantly improve communities. Regional Manager for Europe and the CIS, Armand Leblois, praised UITM for their exceptional cooperation and response in assisting Ukrainian immigrants and providing them with job prospects and digital skills through the Start IT initiative. The project’s quick expansion from 700 participants during the pilot phase to 5,000 new participants since its inauguration on February 1, 2023, bears witness to its extraordinary influence on lives. UITM wants to express its appreciation to everyone who helped make this effort a success.
The Golden Bridge Award was graciously accepted on behalf of the institution by Lucjan Hajder, director of information technology at UITM, at the Cisco NetAcad Partner Summit EMEA conference in Paris. This honorable acknowledgment from the Cisco Academy community around the world highlights the significance of UITM’s assistance to Ukrainian refugees. By enabling refugees to create a brighter future for themselves, UITM has greatly benefited from the kind support of Cisco Systems. According to Lucjan Hajder, Ukrainian residents will surely help the nation’s economy once the war is over thanks to the information and skills they have acquired via this training.
UITM is still dedicated to bringing about positive change through education and technology, making sure that everyone has access to valuable resources that can improve their life, regardless of their situation. This Golden Bridge Award is proof of UITM’s commitment and creative strategy in changing the world for the better.
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About the cooperation between UITM and CISCO
The cooperation between Cisco and UITM has a long history. In 2000, the first Regional Cisco Networking Academy was established at the UITM headquarters, which, as a result of dynamic development, quickly became the second largest Cisco Academy in Europe. In 2003, as the first and only university in Poland (and one of several in Europe), UITM obtained the status of Cisco Academy Training Center, taking over the care of over 500 Cisco Academies operating in Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Ukraine, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. In 2018, UITM received the award for the best Partner in the Cisco Networking Academy program in the region. This prestigious distinction has been awarded to only three universities in Europe.
Currently, in addition to educating students using Cisco Networking Academy courses, UITM acts as an Academy Support Center and Instructor Training Center supporting the development of the Cisco Academy and program instructors. Last academic year, almost 800 students took advantage of the NetAcad courses offered as part of their studies at UITM – it is one of the largest Cisco Academies in Poland.
