Industry, varsity team up to face cyber threats
KPMG and University Malaysia of Computer Science and Engineering (UNIMY) recently announced student-industry collaboration that will see a greater fostering of industry experts with university students on internships and apprenticeship on cybersecurity matters.
KPMG, one of the biggest names in the industry, has been at the forefront of cybersecurity by becoming the first company in Malaysia to set up a Cyber and Digital Hub at its Malaysia headquarters in March this year.
A global facility, the hub provides an interactive environment that showcases cybersecurity threats and trends, how they affect critical information technology infrastructure, and how organisations can protect their assets and manage cybersecurity risks.
Following this collaboration, KPMG joins the list of other global players such as Microsoft, Thales, Autodesk and many more on UNIMY’s Student — Industry partnership through Prestariang Bhd.
KPMG Cyber Security head in Malaysia Dani Michaux said: “UNIMY has set themselves apart as a university devoted to produce specially trained and market-ready computing professionals. We’re pleased to work with UNIMY to groom more cybersecurity professionals, to meet the growing demands from the industry for such talents.”
Michaux, who is also the Global Lead of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) Security Services for KPMG International, shared that 48 per cent of CEOs surveyed globally agree that skill-gaps will emerge in the next three years.
As the first ICT-focused Digital Technology University in Malaysia with a focus on Big Data, Cybersecurity and Coding, UNIMY sets precedence with its collaboration with KPMG, driving its initiative forward in engaging students to participate in solving real-global issues and problems using technology as well as making invaluable industry knowledge and experience highly accessible.
This collaboration also shows KPMG’s commitment to drive Malaysia’s capacity building by grooming more cybersecurity leaders of tomorrow.
“The UNIMY-KPMG collaboration is the university’s commitment in engaging the industry in developing and mentoring the next-generation technopreneurs.
“We believe that there is no better education than being involved in real-life issues and also learning from the best, which is why we are engaged with many other global leaders like Microsoft, Thales, Autodesk, KPMG and others to support us in our focus on the areas of Big Data, Cybersecurity and Coding.
We’re pleased to work with UNIMY to groom more cybersecurity professionals, to meet the growing demands from the industry for such talents.”
Dani Michaux KPMG Cyber Security head in Malaysia
“At the same time, these collaborations create a robust learning/teaching community where students learn from the very best,” said UNIMY vice-chancellor Professor Khairuddin Ab Hamid.
“I am confident that this collaboration with KPMG is just the start in our efforts to future joining forces in developing Malaysia’s next striving key technopreneurs vying to stay ahead in the digital economy. Our students come from the top-of-the-charts qualifiers as our entry levels are benchmarked against our academic partner Melbourne School of Engineering, Australia. We believe this partnership will bring signifi- cant changes not just to the parties involved but will also positively impact the changing world in the wake of the digital economy.”
Two weeks before the collaboration ceremony, about 40 Unimy students were taken on a similar tour and were also briefed on issues surrounding cybersecurity threats to various industries and organisations.
KPMG will also be part of UNIMY’s Industrial Advisory Panel whereby it will provide industry input on UNIMY’s Cybersecurity academic programme development.
Other collaborations include student project mentoring and co-supervision, research and development, guest lectures and adjunct appointments, participation of UNIMY students in KPMG’s Cyber Security Challenge and any other activities as mutually agreed by both parties.
UNIMY will also be one of the first institutions to adopt a revolutionary singlebased platform education hub known as EduCloud.
Scheduled to launch in the third quarter of 2017, EduCloud will propel student experience in UNIMY further and will bring leverage to its partners like KPMG in the education market, creating a mutual knowledge-sharing platform that will benefit all parties involved.