| The “1st National Cisco Skills Competition 2008” was successfully held at the American International University Bangladesh on Saturday, July 05, 2008. A total of thirty four (34) teams from the following ten (10) universities took part in the day long event; Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology (AUST), American International University-Bangladesh (AIUB), Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), BRAC University, Daffodil International University (DIU), Dhaka University of Engineering and Technology (DUET), Premier University from Chittagong, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology from Sylhet, Stamford University, and United International University (UIU).
When one thinks of computer networks the first name that comes to mind is Cisco Systems Inc., of USA, the dominant player in the field of computerized networking systems. The competition involved testing the capability and skill levels of each team in the area of computer networks hardware design, configuration, development, and maintenance, based on the e-Learning and hands-on lab based educational system developed by the Cisco Networking Academy Program which is in place in 167 countries in the world. AIUB is the first university in the SAARC Region to have organized this Skills Competition.
The competition involved three levels of testing. The first two levels were MCQ Online exams and then using Packet Tracer (network configuration through computer simulation). The top 10 teams were then selected by the panel of judges for the final round which involved hands-on trouble shooting with pre-configured networks. The Champions Trophy was awarded to the “AIUB Leaders”, followed by “AIUB Sparks” as 1st Runner Up, and finally “AIUB Scholars” as the 2nd Runners Up. Other seven teams qualified as the top ten finalists were AIUB Gladiators, AIUB Legends, BUET Challenger, BUET Destiny, BUET Discovery, BRAC Sapiens and Premier Discovery.
The champion’s trophy was awarded by Dr. Carmen Z, Lamagna-Vice Chancellor of AIUB. The dignitaries present at the occasion were Mr. Lokesh Mehra-Regional Manager for South Asia of Cisco Systems Inc., Prof. A.B.M. Siddique Hossain, Dean, Faculty of Science of AIUB, Prof. Masroor Ali, LMC, BUET Cisco Regional Academy, and Mr. Jagan Jothivel-Area Academy Manager for Cisco NetAcad. At the end of the program, the Cisco representatives declared that the first three winners of this contest would be invited by Cisco to compete in the SAARC Regional competition in Bangalore at the end of August, whereas the Champions would represent Bangladesh in the Asia-Pacific Championship in Melbourne, Australia sometimes this year. Appreciating the well organized event at AIUB, Mr. Lokesh Mehra expressed his interest in organizing the 2009 Skills Competition in Bangladesh on a regional basis, involving Bhutan, Nepal, Eastern States of India, West Bengal, and Orissa.
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