The University of Queensland (UQ) and HP Australia have launched the HP Women in Cyber Security scholarship program, designed to support the development of female talent across Australia’s information technology and cyber security industries.
Demonstrating UQ and HP’s commitment to boosting gender diversity in the workforce, the first HP scholarships will be awarded to five women enrolled in UQ’s new Master of Cyber Security in August 2020.
The scholarships will cover course fees to the sum of $20,000 per year for the two-year duration of this program.
According to AustCyber, Australia will require an additional 17,000 cyber security professionals by 2026 to meet the growing data security threats facing organisations and to help Australia remain competitive globally.
Despite this, Australia’s cyber security industry continues to suffer from low female representation – a trend echoed worldwide with rates as low as 10 per cent.
UQ’s Master of Cyber Security was launched in 2020 to offer students a deeper understanding of cyber security’s impact on every aspect of modern life.
Unique to this program is a truly inter-disciplinary approach that brings in students from technology, business, mathematics, social science, criminology and law to empower cyber security leaders for a resilient and productive digital future.
Professor Ryan Ko, UQ’s Chair and Director of Cyber Security said cyber security can no longer sit as a siloed discipline within an organisation.
“As cyber attackers evolve, so too must the industry, and at UQ we are focused on developing highly skilled inter-disciplinary professionals who can meet the security challenges of the future,” Professor Ko said.
“We are excited to partner with HP as a forward-thinking industry leader that understands the need to adapt to rapid change and is committed to equal opportunity for women to strengthen the industry.”
Rachael Williams, National Enterprise Manager Education/Government at HP Australia said HP had long believed that diversity of thought, experience and identity are what drive true invention and innovation.
“As malicious actors get creative in their methods of attack, the cyber security industry requires not only more technical experts, but those who bring a diverse range of skills and backgrounds to keep the industry one step ahead,” Ms Williams said.
“Education is where it all starts, and we are proud to announce the HP Women in Cyber Security Scholarship in partnership with leading innovator and educator, UQ.”
If you are interested in applying for the HP Women in Cyber Security scholarship, please visit UQ Scholarships. Recipients will be announced in August 2020, prior to commencement of study.
For more information about the UQ Master of Cyber Security, please visit eait.uq.edu.au/MasterofCyberSecurity
