Next-generation cybersecurity provider, Sophos, recently inked an agreement with Mapúa University to offer cybersecurity courses and training for Mapúa students. The partnership aims to enhance students’ skills and knowledge of cybersecurity while helping prepare them for a smooth transition from college to the workforce.
The partnership starts with Sophos providing train-the-trainer style education on XG Firewall for Mapúa University faculty members. Faculty members must first earn Sophos certification before they could teach the course. Once they have acquired it, faculty members will be able to impart their cybersecurity expertise to students through the structured university curriculum. Students will also be able to take Sophos exams to obtain cybersecurity industry certification.
Apart from the teaching aspect, Sophos will also provide hardware devices and virtual machines for Mapúa university’s student labs.
“We are excited to partner with Sophos to align and develop our curriculum in preparing our students for the working world. As a country, we’re taking cybersecurity seriously, and it is important to us that our students are equipped with the right knowledge and skills to become valuable employees for businesses looking to protect against the evolving threat landscape,” said Ariel Kelly Balan, dean, Mapúa University’s School of Information Technology.
“The cybersecurity landscape is constantly evolving and cyberattacks are becoming more sophisticated every day. As a result, there is greater demand in the Philippines for cybersecurity professionals to keep the country safe from cyber threats as it continues its digital transformation journey. Through our partnership with Mapúa, we hope to provide greater access to the right learning tools and experts in this field, so students can further optimize their employment opportunities upon graduation,” said Sumit Bansal, managing director, Sophos ASEAN.
The partnership with Mapúa University also complements Sopho’s investment into developing IT professionals in the Philippines as it continues to grow its team of application developers and quality assurance specialists.