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Staying ahead of the cyber curve

By Mohamed Lachemi

President and Vice-Chancellor

“Providing cybersecurity talent through education will be a key deliverable, but we see a broader role that includes innovation, research and policy.”

ILLUSTRATION BY ADAM CRUFT

UNIVERSITIES LIKE RYERSON that thrive on being current and relevant face an important challenge: to identify developments in our world that represent fundamental change, and respond proactively.

Last year we sought to include a specialized cluster for innovation that would serve society and our students for years to come.

We uncovered an opportunity to be on the ground floor of a sector that promises millions of highly skilled jobs and billions of dollars in investment. What really excites us, though, is the chance to make a positive impact on the security and prosperity of Canadians. That is why Ryerson is leading the development of Cybersecure Catalyst – a national centre for cybersecurity.

From your personal bank account to the nation’s power grid, the need for confidence in the security of all things online is critical – yet the cybercrime threat is growing. It is expected that worldwide, cybersecurity will cost institutions, individuals and businesses upwards of $6 trillion over the next three years.

How can Ryerson make a difference? Staying ahead of cyber criminals requires highly trained individuals with ingenuity, expertise and skill. When the federal government announced a $500 million cybersecurity strategy last year, it said the biggest gap is personnel: “A shortage of cybersecurity talent makes it difficult for organizations … to attract and retain the people they need to improve their cybersecurity or to disrupt cyber threats.” The need for skilled individuals is immense, with an expected 1.5 million unfilled positions in cybersecurity around the globe this year.

Providing cybersecurity talent through education will be a key deliverable for the new centre, but we see a broader role that includes innovation, research and development, public awareness and policy. Our vision is capturing the imagination of partners in the private and public sector. Banks, governments, law enforcement, retailers and tech firms are coming on board to be part of what we are planning will be Canada’s leading centre in cybersecurity.

The challenge is large, but so is the opportunity. Inspired by Ryerson’s track record of setting the pace for 21st-century education and research, we accept the challenge with confidence.

Winter 2019 / Ryerson University Magazine 3