BGU Offers New Graduate Program in Cyber Security
BGU Offers New Graduate Program in Cyber Security
August 2, 2012
Homeland & Cyber Security, Press Releases
BEER-SHEVA, ISRAEL, Aug. 2, 2012 — Ben-Gurion University of the Negev will become the first Israeli university to offer graduate study tracks in cyber security, a joint initiative with the Departments of Information Systems Engineering and Computer Science.
“Our goal is to prepare graduates who can contribute to the national effort in cyber defense, and prepare Israeli researchers to lead world research in this area,” says Prof. Bracha Shapira, head of BGU’s Department of Information Systems Engineering.
Noting the proliferation of related units in the Israel Defense Forces and the prime minister’s announcement earlier this year to advance cyber security nationwide, she says, “We believe there is a demand for this in defense and many other industries.”
The master’s degree in information systems engineering with a specialization in cyber security was developed to meet the growing need for security experts in Israel and worldwide as a key component to protecting national infrastructures and global economic institutions. The areas of focus include network security, attack identification methods, cryptography, development of secure systems, and operation systems security.
The curriculum is for undergraduate students who meet master’s degree admission requirements in software or information systems, computer science, or communication systems engineering. Studies include performing research, writing an original thesis, and completing eight advanced mandatory courses.
“Today we can’t identify precisely who our enemies are as they are very diverse,” Shapira explains. “The goal is to understand how to protect ourselves and to test the vulnerabilities of other systems when necessary.”
The initiative is part of the University’s Homeland Security Institute to broaden teaching and research in this critical area. New technologies are being developed to safeguard Israel’s “virtual environment” with a focus on cyber security and telecommunications.
ABOUT AMERICANS FOR BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY
By supporting a world-class academic institution that not only nurtures the Negev, but also shares its expertise locally and globally, Americans for Ben-Gurion University engages a community of Americans who are committed to improving the world. David Ben-Gurion envisioned that Israel’s future would be forged in the Negev. The cutting-edge research carried out at Ben-Gurion University drives that vision by sustaining a desert Silicon Valley, with the “Stanford of the Negev” at its center. The Americans for Ben-Gurion University movement supports a 21st century unifying vision for Israel by rallying around BGU’s remarkable work and role as an apolitical beacon of light in the Negev desert.
About Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev embraces the endless potential we have as individuals and as a commonality to adapt and to thrive in changing environments. Inspired by our location in the desert, we aim to discover, to create, and to develop solutions to dynamic challenges, to pose questions that have yet to be asked, and to push beyond the boundaries of the commonly accepted and possible.
We are proud to be a central force for inclusion, diversity and innovation in Israel, and we strive to extend the Negev’s potential and our entrepreneurial spirit throughout the world. For example, the multi-disciplinary School for Sustainability and Climate Change at BGU leverages over 50 years of expertise on living and thriving in the desert into scalable solutions for people everywhere.
BGU at a glance:
20,000 students | 800 senior faculty | 3 campuses | 6 faculties: humanities & social sciences, health sciences, engineering sciences, natural sciences, business & management, and desert research.
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James Fattal, J Cubed Communications
516.289.1496
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