We are well aware by now that Canada is short on cybersecurity professionals—by at least 25,000 strong—and the impacts are tangible.
For example, a KPMG report found that 70% of small- and medium-sized businesses in Canada lack the skilled personnel to implement cybersecurity defences and monitor for attacks, a figure that is up from last year. And cyber attacks cost Canadian companies millions of dollars in damages on average.
Mastercard announced this week that it is partnering with a post-secondary institution in Vancouver to help “secure the digital economy” by accelerating cybersecurity innovation in Canada and expanding the nation’s tech-skilled workforce.
The financial services giant this week unveiled its partnership with Northeastern University, which includes more than $700,000 from Mastercard to help Northeastern establish multiple initiatives that aim to “advance research and create opportunities for women, BIPOC students, and underrepresented groups in cybersecurity over the next three years,” according to a statement from the organizations.
“Investing in pioneering research and diverse talent is essential to driving innovation that truly reflects and serves all Canadians,” posits Mansur Mirani, who serves as Vice President Mastercard’s Cyber Centre of Excellence in Vancouver.
The collaboration will see the creation of the Mastercard Professorship Fund as well as the Mastercard Vancouver Scholarship.
“This partnership combines cutting-edge research with experiential learning, equipping the next generation of leaders to tackle the most critical challenges in cybersecurity and deliver solutions that make a real-world impact,” stated Mirani.
The professorship, focusing on cybersecurity research, will engage 100 students in total over three years through industry internships, favouring those from “underrepresented backgrounds,” according to Mastercard. This decision was made with the intent to “combat bias in learning models and solutions developed by providing opportunities to those often underrepresented in cybersecurity fields.”
“Northeastern University is dedicated to providing graduate-level education that is both experiential and research-focused,” said Steve Eccles, Dean of Northeastern University.
“This partnership with Mastercard will give our students an incredible opportunity to actively participate in groundbreaking research in one of the fastest growing sectors in Canada and produce graduates who will be able to hit the ground running in the cybersecurity industry,” he added.
The partnership with Northeastern University is an extension of Mastercard’s $500-million investment in Vancouver’s Global Intelligence and Cyber Centre of Excellence.
