Regional Academies track the equipment inventory of their Local Academies and answer curriculum questions or refer them back to the Cisco Networking Academies team. They also deal directly with the Cisco Networking Academy team. Regional Academies provide many services to Local Academies such that Locals cannot exist without a supporting Regional. They also won't learn everything they need to be prepared to take the Cisco Certified Networking Associate exam.
Cisco wants to avoid offering incomplete programs.
Regional Academy instructors are trained by Cisco. The first semester training is eight days, and subsequent semester training sessions last five days. Current training sessions are held in Phoenix, Arizona, but additional Area Academy Training Centers are being established at different sites around the country. The Regional Academy pays any travel costs and expenses for up to two instructors from their Regional Academy to attend training. In the training that Cisco gives, Regional Academies are shown how to set up the equipment that is part of the next semester curriculum.