Partnership with the UAE Cybersecurity Council and CyberE71 brings AI, ICS/OT and leadership training into focus at GISEC Global 2026.
The cybersecurity conversation is increasingly shifting from technology alone to the availability of skilled professionals capable of securing increasingly complex digital environments. SANS Institute’s GISEC Global 2026 programme reflects this change, placing hands-on training and capability development alongside emerging security technologies.
Through its partnership with the UAE Cybersecurity Council, formalised through an MoU in 2025, SANS is expanding access to cybersecurity training and globally recognised certifications. At GISEC, the collaboration will be supported by CyberE71, connecting professional skills development with startups, universities, entrepreneurs and the wider cybersecurity innovation ecosystem.
“Building cyber resilience is ultimately about building capability, and this requires practical skills grounded in the threats companies face today,” said Ned Baltagi, Managing Director, Middle East, Turkey and Africa, SANS Institute.
The timing is significant. Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing both the attack surface and defensive strategies, while critical infrastructure faces increasingly sophisticated cyber risks. Organisations therefore require practitioners who understand not only traditional security controls but also AI security, industrial systems and operational technology.
SANS will deliver certified training covering ICS/OT security, cybersecurity strategy for executives and secure AI for cybersecurity operations. Additional workshops will address third-party risk, industrial security, cloud and container security.
The institute will also showcase its AI Security Maturity Model, new GIAC certifications covering areas such as offensive AI and AI operations, and quantum-readiness training focused on the implications of quantum computing for encryption.
The broader significance is clear: as governments and enterprises accelerate digital and AI adoption, cybersecurity capability is becoming a strategic national asset. Technology can provide the tools, but trained professionals determine how effectively those tools are deployed.
For the UAE, the SANS-Cybersecurity Council partnership represents a practical approach to building that human layer of resilience—connecting global expertise with local talent, innovation and national cybersecurity priorities.
