UNB Partners with Israeli Cybersecurity Initiative
FREDERICTON – The University of New Brunswick (UNB) announced this morning a formal research partnership with major Israeli cybersecurity initiative CyberSpark.
The partnership, which is meant to spur greater innovation, economic development and collaboration in the field of cyber research, is the first between CyberSpark and a Canadian university.
UNB president Eddy Campbell and CyberSpark CEO Roni Zehavi signed a memorandum formalizing the partnership at a ceremony at UNB Fredericton today.
“UNB has been fostering industry collaboration, research and innovation in the area of cybersecurity for more than 15 years,” Eddy Campbell said in a release. “It’s a great honour, and a great testament to our determined work in this sector, to be the first Canadian university to partner with CyberSpark. We’re very much looking forward to advancing and increasing our industry-focused research and development activities.”
Israel is often known as a high-tech epicentre built around internet security, anti-virus software and other cyber defence technologies. CyberSpark was launched in Beersheba, Israel in 2014 by Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu with the intent of bringing together local companies, global multinationals, government, military and academia.
Roni Zehavi says the initiative has become a lightning rod for attracting foreign multinationals and other research collaborators.
“There is a good match in DNA between UNB and CyberSpark,” he said. “In both places, there is a working ecosystem combining a top-notch university with highly advanced research and industry collaboration.”
Ali Ghorbani, director of the Canadian Institute of Cybersecurity at UNB and the university’s dean of computer science, says the partnership is expected to create greater innovation and economic opportunities for New Brunswick.
“The training of highly qualified people as well as job and company creation with another country has the potential to grow the province’s economy,” Ghorbani said in a release.