IIT Kanpur and TalentSprint partner for development of cyber security experts

The Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (IIT Kanpur) has announced an Advanced Certification Program in Cyber Security and Cyber Defense in partnership with TalentSprint. The program is designed for current and aspiring professionals who are keen to explore and exploit the latest trends in cyber security technologies. A combination of deep academic rigor and intense practical approach will allow participants to master in-demand skills and build world class expertise. The first cohort will start in early 2020.

IIT Kanpur, established in 1959, is widely recognised as a global trailblazer in computer science research and education. Most recently, IIT Kanpur has taken the lead in cyber security by setting up the Interdisciplinary Centre for Cyber Security and Cyber Defence of Critical Infrastructures (C3i). The mission of C3i is research, education, and training, and also spawn startups to create technological safeguards to protect critical national infrastructure. The centre collaborates with other global centres of excellence and is positioned to become a world leader in cyber security.

Dr Manindra Agrawal, Program Director and Professor of Computer Science at IIT Kanpur, said, “It is estimated that there will be roughly 200 billion connected devices by 2020. Rapid convergence of Mobility, Internet of Things and Cloud Computing is leading to an explosive increase in security threats and the need for Cyber Defense experts to combat these threats is becoming all the more important. Our program will leverage the deep research capabilities of C3i to arm technology professionals with the right expertise to counter a wide range of emerging threats and vulnerabilities.”

Dr Santanu Paul, Co-Founder and CEO of TalentSprint, said, “We are delighted to partner with IIT Kanpur on a mission to create Cyber Security experts. The demand for such professionals is outstripping supply. Companies need sophisticated responders to defend against the growing threat of cyberattacks. There is a huge talent crunch and 59 per cent of the companies have vacant positions suggesting a cumulative global shortfall of 1.5 million such professionals.”

According to NASSCOM, India’s cyber security market is projected to grow to $35 billion by 2025. This 6-month Advanced Certification Program in Cyber Security and Cyber Defense will be delivered in an executive-friendly format with immersion bootcamps at the IIT Kanpur campus, complemented by live online interactive sessions via the TalentSprint digital platform. Program participants will also get direct exposure to C3i and its research expertise during their visits to IIT Kanpur. In addition, TalentSprint will curate state-of-the-art capstone projects for program participants, and actively leverage its digital platform for the purpose of accelerated experiential learning.