The program hosts 14 international experts and will deliver over more than 200 training hours
Digital Dubai – represented by Dubai Electronic Security Center (DESC)has opened registration for the second cohort of the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) Executive Program, which will remain open until July 20, 2022.
The Program is part of the Cyber Node initiative under Dubai Cyber Innovation Park (DCIPark), and has already concluded one successful edition. Co-administrated by DESC, Thales, and Florence University, the CISO Executive Program is delivered as a collaboration between the Government, private, and academic sectors, and seeks to upskill and empower leaders in the field of cybersecurity in various sectors regionally and internationally.
Dubai has been committed to boosting investment in cybersecurity, and was ranked first in the Middle East and North Africa and fourth in the world in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) to the cybersecurity sector, according to UK-based Investment Monitor’s FDI Project Database.
The second cohort follows the notable success of the first edition of the CISO Executive Program, where 18 critical national infrastructure in UAE participated, including Dubai Police, Du, Dubai Customs, Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC), and Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), among others. The Program offers a prominent opportunity for senior cybersecurity professionals to acquire the skills they need to be certified CISO professionals.
DCIPark announced that the registration period for the CISO Executive Program will be open until July 20, 2022, and that potential candidates can register via email at booking@dcipark.gov.ae. The Program kicks off in September 2022 at the DCIPark facility in Dubai and spans for five months, offering an average of three training days every month.
The Program will include a training simulation for potential scenarios and cyberthreats CISOs may face. It provides a realistic and effective environment for testing cybersecurity capabilities, with the aim of developing participants’ expertise and training them to professionally tackle various cyberthreats.
His Excellency Yousuf Al Shaibani, Director General of DESC, said: “The Dubai Cyber Security Strategy strives to embrace technological breakthroughs to support and protect the comprehensive digital services system in the long term, anticipating challenges and developing advanced solutions. This ultimately strengthens Dubai’s position as a world-leading city in innovation, safety, and security. Dubai Cyber Innovation Park will serve as a launchpad for ground-breaking innovations that will sustain this momentum and empower a new generation of cybersecurity experts that meet the highest international standards.”
For her part, Dr Bushra Al Blooshi, Deputy Director of the Information Services Department at DESC, noted: “The CISO Executive Program is among the many specialized programs that the Dubai Cyber Innovation Park is developing in order to achieve Dubai’s ambitious strategic objectives, position the emirate as a world leader in cybersecurity, and support its plans to lead a comprehensive digital transformation and secure its cyberspace.”
“We invite all CISOs locally and globally to benefit from the programs DCIPark is offering, in collaboration with world-renowned experts, which allow participants to explore the insight and expertise of leaders in the field, and thus develop the capabilities and skills of executives and Chief Information Security Officers from all entities,” Dr Al Blooshi added.
The CISO Executive Program will help provide participants with a more comprehensive understanding of the roles they play in their respective organizations, providing them an opportunity to interact and communicate with cybersecurity experts, and acquire new skills that will enable them to excel in the roles assigned to them on the ground.
The Program’s agenda covers numerous topics, including the role of a CISO globally and in the UAE, in particular; an overview of cybersecurity laws and legislation; planning and implementing a cybersecurity strategy roadmap for organizations; information security and risk management, and finally, cyber business intelligence operations. The Program also addresses most prominent topics related to digital transformation, cybersecurity challenges, artificial intelligence, advanced technologies, cloud security, cyber resilience, crisis management, and incident resolution.
The Dubai Cyber Innovation Park – an affiliate of the Dubai Electronic Security Center – was launched at the Gulf Information Security Exhibition and Conference (GISEC Global) in March 2022, and has run a series of intensive training courses for various government entities and private-sector institutions in Dubai. The courses were designed to develop specialized cybersecurity competencies and establish an advanced technologies industry, which, in turn, serves to support Dubai’s vision for enhanced economic prosperity and smart transformation, on the one hand, and firmly secure the emirate’s cyberspace, on the other.
