Kyndryl Foundation has announced that the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) is one of 11 organisations from seven countries to receive Kyndryl Foundation’s inaugural grants.
The fund aims to grow an inclusive cybersecurity workforce and make nonprofits more resilient from cyberattacks.
The grant to UTS will be used to increase the accessibility of cybersecurity education for Australian nonprofits.
Organisations in this sector are increasingly vulnerable to cyberattacks due to the high volumes of sensitive information they hold, combined with limited budgets and resources to allocate to cyber training and solutions.
According to the Australian Nonprofits State of the Sector 2023 report, 80% of nonprofits have not received any cybersecurity training for staff in the last 12 months, despite 79% believing that a cyberattack will have a negative impact on their organisation.
UTS says it eeks to address this gap by piloting the design, development and delivery of cybersecurity education for up to 90 learners in 2024 from nonprofit organisations in Indigenous, refugee and low socio-economic communities.
The pilot program will involve consultation with nonprofits and harness cybersecurity subject matter experts from both Kyndryl and UTS to create and teach the content.
“As a leading public university of technology, UTS is dedicated to driving innovation and societal impact through strategic partnerships and initiatives. The philanthropic grants awarded by Kyndryl Foundation align closely with UTS’s mission to empower individuals and organisations with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate the complexities of the digital age. By supporting nonprofit capability development in cybersecurity skills, these grants address the critical shortage of trained cybersecurity professionals and contribute to building a more diverse and inclusive tech workforce. Through our collaborative efforts, we aim to equip nonprofits with the necessary tools and resources to mitigate cyber risks and safeguard their operations, thereby strengthening the overall resilience of our communities,” said Glenn Wightwick, Deputy Vice-Chancellor & Vice-President (Enterprise), University of Technology Sydney.
“Like any organisation, charities and nonprofits can be vulnerable to cyber security incidents. This funding allows UTS to help these organisations implement robust and continuous cybersecurity measures. We are excited to be working with Indigenous, refugee, and low socio-economic communities to build cyber security resilience within those communities. Through providing cybersecurity expertise and training we are endeavouring to remove some of the resourcing burdens these organisations face in keeping their sensitive information safe,” said Peta Wyeth, Dean – Faculty of Engineering and IT, University of Technology Sydney.
“Kyndryl is pleased to partner with UTS. In addition to the grant, we will provide expertise from our local cybersecurity and resiliency practice to create a tailored program designed around the nuances of the nonprofit sector. This will not only enable organisations to build cyber resiliency against current and future threats, but also help increase the number of much needed skilled cybersecurity resources in Australia,” said Ashish Kumar, President, Kyndryl Australia and New Zealand.
