Abu Dhabi: The National Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence (NCCoE), a hub for collaboration that is supported by the Cryptography Research Centre (CRC), is partnering with the Khalifa University of Science and Technology (Khalifa University) to make the university a primary academic partner and create the Khalifa University Cybersecurity Academy.
As part of the association, the institution will offer its world-class educational resources as well as its cutting-edge research skills on cyber-physical system security.
Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, Executive Vice-President of Khalifa University, and Mr. Mohammed Hamad Al-Kuwaiti, Head of Cyber Security for the Government of the UAE, signed the MoU to formalize the ties at an event which was also attended by Dr. Ernesto Damiani, Director of the Khalifa University Center for Cyber-Physical Systems (C2PS) and Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
By signing the MoU, Khalifa University will make its research and development facilities available to the National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence. The development will help to speed up cybersecurity innovation, expand the talent pool in the nation, and integrate cybersecurity into the UAE workforce.
The duo will work together to develop the Khalifa University cybersecurity academy while also exchanging knowledge and strategies for handling security incidents and malware transmission. Both parties will share their experiences defending against information security threats, cybersecurity awareness materials, and cybersecurity education and training resources. Also, the two will send cybersecurity expert missions, work groups that work together, and advisory information to help find and fix information security incidents.
UAE is ready to overcome Cybersecurity challenges
As a world-class academic institution leading in pioneering technology and innovation, Khalifa University is delighted to partner with the CRC and contribute its expertise towards tackling challenges in cybersecurity. We believe this collaboration will bring forth better solutions that will guide industry and government sector policymakers in not only responding but also in taking preventive measures that can stop cybercrimes before they happen. Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi stated.
The Cryptography Research Centre encourages industrial groups, governmental organizations, and academic institutions in the UAE to collaborate through the National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence to address the nation’s urgent cybersecurity issues. The Center will work to build an ecosystem to improve and share cybersecurity skills at all levels. This includes educating UAE workers about cybersecurity and developing, buying, and using the most advanced security technology to protect the country’s most important resources.
Dr. Al Kuwaiti, speaking on behalf of the CRC, stated that, “We are glad to collaborate with Khalifa University as a primary academic partner for the National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence, a collaborative hub promoted by the CRC. With its advanced research capabilities on the security of cyber-physical systems and its world-class training facilities, we believe Khalifa University will work with us to play an integral role in raising awareness of cyber-attacks and strengthening our existing cyberinfrastructure while developing competencies for the UAE’s growing talent pool.”