Press Release
GCA Teams up with DIFC Academy to Empower Organisations with Actionable Tools and Strategies to Reduce Cyber Risk
- The ‘GCA Cybersecurity Toolkit to UAE Small Businesses’, available on DIFC Academy’s School of Future Skills, is a free resource targeting the small business and entrepreneur community.
DIFC Academy, the education platform of Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), the leading global financial hub in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region, has announced a collaboration with Global Cyber Alliance (GCA) to equip professionals and organisations with the tools and knowledge to address the most important cybersecurity challenges impacting small businesses. The collaboration will also empower small businesses with actionable strategies to reduce cyber risks arising from conducting any aspect of their business via email or over the Internet.
With over 5,500 active registered companies and 41,500 professionals at DIFC, the collaboration between DIFC Academy and GCA comes in the backdrop of studies that reveal the continued risks from cyber threats in the UAE. Research by the Middle East Institute reveals that the UAE deterred more than 71 million cyber attacks in the first three quarters of 2023. The joint initiative between DIFC Academy and GCA and will bring valuable and free cybersecurity resources to the region’s small business and entrepreneur community.
Under the agreement, the GCA Cybersecurity Toolkit for Small Business, sponsored by Mastercard, will be available from the DIFC Academy’s School of Future Skills. The DIFC Academy provides a comprehensive hub of knowledge, learning solutions, and excellence for the community, to not only develop today’s professional workforce but also nurture tomorrow’s talent.
Commenting on the initiative, Christian Kunz, Chief Strategy, Innovation & Ventures Officer at DIFC Authority, said: “We are thrilled to embark on this collaborative journey with Global Cyber Alliance, uniting expertise to empower the next generation of cybersecurity leaders in DIFC and the wider UAE. Together, we aim to shape a resilient digital future through knowledge, innovation, and shared commitment to cyber excellence. At DIFC Academy’s School of Future Skills, our mission aligns seamlessly with Global Cyber Alliance’s vision for a secure digital landscape, amplifying our commitment to equipping learners with cutting-edge cybersecurity skills, fostering a community of professionals and businesses ready to navigate and safeguard the evolving digital frontier.”
GCA Capacity & Resilience Program Director, Brian Cute, added: “We are delighted that our small business toolkit is now accessible via the DIFC Academy’s School of Future Skills. The toolkit is a vital resource for small businesses and entrepreneurs who, by implementing the cyber hygiene measures provided in the toolkit, will be able to significantly reduce their risk of ransomware and cyber-attack.”
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About the Global Cyber Alliance (GCA)
GCA is an international nonprofit organisation dedicated to eradicating cyber risk and improving our connected world. We build communities to deploy tools, services, and programs that provide cybersecurity at global scale.
About Dubai International Financial Centre
Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) is one of the world’s most advanced financial centres, and the leading financial hub for the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA), which comprises 72 countries with an approximate population of 3bn and an estimated GDP of USD 8trn.
With a close to 20-year track record of facilitating trade and investment flows across the MEASA region, the Centre connects these fast-growing markets with the economies of Asia, Europe and the Americas through Dubai.
DIFC is home to an internationally recognised, independent regulator and a proven judicial system with an English common law framework, as well as the region’s largest financial ecosystem of over 39,000 professionals working across over 4,900 active registered companies – making up the largest and most diverse pool of industry talent in the region.
The Centre’s vision is to drive the future of finance through cutting-edge technology, innovation, and partnerships. Today, it is the global future of finance and innovation hub offering one of the region’s most comprehensive FinTech and venture capital environments, including cost-effective licensing solutions, fit-for-purpose regulation, innovative accelerator programmes, and funding for growth-stage start-ups.
Comprising a variety of world-renowned retail and dining venues, a dynamic art and culture scene, residential apartments, hotels and public spaces, DIFC continues to be one of Dubai’s most sought-after business and lifestyle destinations.
About DIFC Academy
For over a decade, the DIFC Academy has catered to the learning needs of the DIFC community by serving as a platform for top-ranked educational institutions to deliver professional development and higher education courses within the DIFC. The Academy promotes educational excellence and human capital development within the DIFC community through partnering with some of the world’s most reputable institutions to offer a variety of programmes ranging from short certificate workshops to multi-year graduate degree programmes across the fields of law, finance and management and future skills.
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