The School of Technology (SoT) at the Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) has officially joined forces with Fortinet Malaysia, a leading cybersecurity firm headquartered in Sunnyvale, California.

The collaboration was solidified through a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed on March 11, 2024, at APU's campus situated in Technology Park Malaysia (TPM), Kuala Lumpur.

The MoU was signed by Professor Dr Ho Chin Kuan, Vice Chancellor of APU, and Mr Dickson Woo, Country Manager of Fortinet Malaysia. This strategic partnership, spearheaded by Associate Professor Dr Thang Ka Fei, Senior Head of the School of Technology, marks a formal commitment to nurturing cybersecurity-proficient professionals equipped for the evolving demands of the industry.

With a focus on Security Operations, commonly referred to as "SecOps," which integrates internal information security and IT operations practices, the collaboration aims to enhance cybersecurity awareness and address the talent shortage in this critical field.

Mr Dickson Woo highlighted the significance of the partnership, stating, "The 2023 Fortinet-IDC Asia Pacific SecOps Survey revealed that, on average, Malaysia has only one SecOps professional for every 230 employees, managing approximately 47 alerts daily. Hence, Fortinet is committed to providing both face-to-face and online training for APU's lecturers and students, alongside access to cutting-edge security technologies."

Fortinet, renowned for its expertise in developing and offering security solutions such as firewalls, endpoint security, and intrusion detection systems, will play a pivotal role in familiarising APU students with potential career trajectories in cybersecurity.

As part of the collaboration, Fortinet Malaysia Solution Architect Mr Brian Chang delivered an industry talk to first-year students from the School of Technology, offering insights into the cybersecurity landscape and career opportunities.

Commenting on the partnership, Assoc Prof Dr Thang Ka Fei emphasised its significance, stating, "This collaboration with a global leader in enterprise-class cybersecurity strengthens our teaching and learning capabilities within the School and APU as a whole. Conversely, APU, as the appointed Premier Digital Tech Institution (PDTI), stands to bolster Fortinet's human resources by supplying them with well-trained graduates prepared for the SecOps profession."

The partnership between APU and Fortinet Malaysia signifies a significant step towards bridging the cybersecurity skills gap and equipping future professionals with the expertise needed to navigate the increasingly complex digital landscape.