Improving Australia’s cybersecurity resilience is the aim of a new partnership between the University of Canberra and global technology company Cisco. The partnership includes:
- The establishment of Innovation Central Canberra – a hub for industry and government to validate cybersecurity technologies, develop prototypes and de-risk the adoption process. The innovation centre is the sixth in a national network of Cisco innovation centres co-located on university campuses.
- The creation of a joint Research Chair in Critical Infrastructure and Defence. The Chair position will focus on applied research related to cybersecurity across several industries including Defence.
- Expansion of Cisco’s Networking Academy to the University of Canberra, which provides learning curricula for careers in technology, including cybersecurity.
19 October 2022, Canberra – Cisco and the University of Canberra have announced a partnership focused on addressing the cybersecurity skills shortage, securing Australia’s critical infrastructure, and expanding the National Industry Innovation Network (NIIN), an alliance of companies and universities focused on the role that digital can play in meeting Australia’s economic and social challenges.
The partnership, which has a major focus on Defence and critical infrastructure, will allow companies to experiment with new technologies, collaborate on applied research and to address forecast cyber security skills shortages.
“Cybersecurity is a major challenge for us at every level, and certainly for industry, government and universities – therefore, it is equally a major source of new jobs and innovation. There is enormous scope for Australia to improve its resilience against cyber attacks including the use of advanced digital technologies,” University of Canberra Vice-Chancellor Professor Paddy Nixon said.
“Improving Australia’s cyber resilience will require action on many fronts: industry-driven research, applied innovation, and a focus on meeting current and future demand for specialist skills.
“The University of Canberra is looking forward to working with Cisco and other industry and education partners to tackle some of the nation’s most pressing challenges related to cybersecurity, and digital adoption more broadly.”
As part of the partnership the University of Canberra and Innovation Central Canberra will join the National Industry Innovation Network (NIIN), an alliance between industry and universities that aims to realise digital opportunities that can benefit the lives of all Australians.
“The partnership with the University of Canberra is a strategically important element in terms of what we are trying to achieve with National Industry Innovation Network. Cisco is committed and is investing in strategic partnerships with universities to accelerate the adoption of technology and address major risks to the Australian economy and society.
The focus on cybersecurity recognises that protection of data and infrastructure needs to be a national priority. It also acknowledges the important role that Canberra plays from a cybersecurity policy, skills and operations perspective, including in Defence and national security,” Cisco ANZ Vice President Ben Dawson said.
“Cisco’s investment in the National Industry Innovation Network is producing great results in areas as diverse as critical infrastructure, Net Zero, hybrid work and accelerating digital transformation.”
The Research Chair in Cybersecurity will also be integrated into the NIIN and benefit from Cisco’s global partnerships and complementary capabilities offered by this network in critical infrastructure, securing assets of national interest and the defence sectors.
About Cisco:
Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in technology that powers the Internet. Cisco inspires new possibilities by reimagining your applications, securing your data, transforming your infrastructure, and empowering your teams for a global and inclusive future. Discover more on The Newsroom and follow us on Twitter.
Cisco Networking Academy is a global IT and cybersecurity education program that provides best-in-class courses, tools, and resources to help people from all backgrounds participate in the digital economy. A powerful skills-to-jobs program, Networking Academy helps students develop in-demand industry skills and connects them with peers, mentors, and real jobs.
About the University of Canberra:
The University of Canberra is one of the world’s leading young universities and has been ranked number one in the world for reducing inequalities for two consecutive years by the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings.
UC is a leader in teaching and research in environmental science, medical science and biomedical science together with data science, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT), machine learning, robotics, cloud computing and cybersecurity through the Faculty of Science and Technology. Our academic staff are world-renowned and respected industry leaders, committed to sharing their knowledge, experience and professional connections with our students.
