Mastercard and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia collaborate to build Cyber Innovation Hub
March 7, 2023 | Kuala LumpurThe hub will focus on building expertise in cybersecurity, while strengthening the country’s cyber resilience
Mastercard today announced an industry-leading partnership with Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) to build a Cyber Innovation Hub. The facility aims to build a cyber-ready workforce in Malaysia, expanding industry expertise while strengthening the country’s cyber resilience capabilities to future proof its digital economy.
Under the partnership, the satellite UTM-Mastercard Cyber Innovation Hub will leverage Mastercard’s cybersecurity expertise alongside UTM’s education infrastructure to offer skills training, and courses on cybersecurity related fields to students and mid-career professionals. Mastercard and UTM will also collaborate on cybersecurity-related research and proof of concept projects to identify new cybersecurity threats, develop solutions and drive implementation of privacy-enhancing technologies in financial services. Additionally, the partnership will provide opportunities for joint research and development projects in specific areas of cyber security and analytics to drive innovation.
Minister of Higher Education of Malaysia, Dato Seri Mohamad Khaled Nordin, said, “By exchanging knowledge and ideas, both UTM and Mastercard will be able to push the boundaries of innovation and create solutions that will make a difference in the world. Cybersecurity will become increasingly important in the coming years, and so it’s vital that our education institutions are able to offer high quality, industry-relevant training in this area. This partnership between UTM and Mastercard will be a major step forward in helping to grow the number of cybersecurity experts in Malaysia.”
Prof. Datuk. Ir. Ts. Dr. Ahmad Fauzi bin Ismail, Vice-Chancellor, UTM said: “UTM is one of Malaysia’s leading institutions for advanced studies in technology, and so we’re very pleased to be working with Mastercard—a company for whom cybersecurity is paramount—to offer a specialized course that will be an asset to both the students, and to Malaysian society more broadly. This will also create opportunities for mid-career professionals switching industries as it gives them a competitive edge.”
According to CyberSecurity Malaysia, the country reported 20,000 cyber-crimes in 2021, up from 17,000 cases in 2020, amounting to RM560 million (USD$126 million) in losses1. The skills training and courses – conducted at the UTM-Mastercard Cyber Innovation Hub located at the university – will offer a unique combination of practical cybersecurity training and knowledge, as well as industry insights. A joint Mastercard-UTM cybersecurity certificate will be issued upon completion. A special training program will be offered first to academics, thereby creating a pool of educators in cybersecurity, will be announced soon.
“As the world becomes increasingly connected through advances in emerging technologies, such as AI and quantum computing, so is the prevalence of cyber-attacks and threats. Mastercard’s partnership with UTM will be pivotal in advancing skills and innovation to combat evolving cyber threats and helping to maintain a safe, secure digital ecosystem for everyone,” said Paul Trueman, Executive Vice President, Product Optimization & Customer Advancement, Cyber and Intelligence, Mastercard.
Safdar Khan, Division President, Southeast Asia, Mastercard, said, “The partnership with Universiti Teknologi Malaysia is a great example of how stakeholders from the private and public sectors can come together to create initiatives that nurture a pipeline of cybersecurity professionals for the country’s digital economy. Mastercard looks forward to working with the university and the government to address the current talent shortage in the cybersecurity space and create career opportunities for people in Malaysia.”
The initiative is part of Mastercard’s commitment to develop and grow the cybersecurity ecosystem through partnerships. Such collaborations help regionalize expertise by bringing together security and intelligence professionals in Malaysia to jointly monitor, detect and respond to cyber threats.
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About Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM)
UTM is a leading innovation-driven research university in engineering, science, and technology in Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru, and Pagoh, Malaysia. It is renowned for being at the forefront of engineering and technological knowledge and expertise. UTM operates based on the core values of Integrity, Synergy, Excellence, and Sustainability. These values guide UTM community practices, and they are embedded in the strategic thrusts that propel the University to greatness. For more information about UTM visit utm.my
About Mastercard
Mastercard powers economies and empowers people in 200+ countries and territories worldwide. Together with our customers, we’re building a sustainable economy where everyone can prosper. We support a wide range of digital payments choices, making transactions secure, simple, smart and accessible. Our technology and innovation, partnerships and networks combine to deliver a unique set of products and services that help people, businesses and governments realize their greatest potential.
