Human resources development (HRD) is the key to developing cybersecurity.Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia's National Cyber and Encryption Agency (BSSN) has made sustained efforts to rev up the development of human resources in cybersecurity to stave off cyberattacks.
The agency is currently engaged in the development of not just technology but also its human resources, Hinsa Siburian, the BSSN chief, remarked on the sidelines of a discussion on Opportunities and Challenges of Indonesian Cyber Space to become an Ecosystem Capable of Boosting Digital Economic Growth, held in Jakarta on Wednesday.
Presently, the agency’s State Encryption College has been developed into a cyber polytechnic.
"Human resources development (HRD) is the key to developing cybersecurity," he stated.
The HRD will be honed in research and development (RND) to produce advanced technology.
"If we don't develop human resources, don't develop RND, our technology would be left behind since the progress in technology, particularly in cyber, is quite fast," he emphasized.
The agency forged cooperation with several countries and universities in the area of research and development.
In pursuit of technological development, BSSN adheres to the nation's political policy, notably of being active and independent.
"Regardless of the technology, wherever it is from, we will accept it as long as it is in the interest of the nation and state. We do not care from which country and what company," he stated.
In the meantime, the Indonesian Communication and Informatics Ministry will offer 50 thousand Digital Talent scholarships for 2020 to hone skills and boost competitiveness of the country's human resources in the field of information technology and communication.
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"This year, we have offered 25 thousand scholarships, and next year, it will be 50 thousand scholarships for students, university students, teachers, and IT volunteers throughout Indonesia," Niken Widiastuti, secretary general of the ministry, stated recently in her opening remarks during a Communication and Information Technology (TIK) Festival.
The scholarship recipients will receive digital knowledge, such as big data, cybersecurity, and digital business.
"This is an opportunity for high school students, university students, and TIK volunteers to apply for digital scholarships," she stated.
The Digital Talent Scholarship Program is managed by the Communication and Informatics Ministry in cooperation with major state and private Indonesian universities and international technology companies, such as Cisco, Google, and Microsoft.
Furthermore, the ministry offers scholarships on informatics for undergraduates and postgraduates.
"For this scholarship, the Communication and Informatics Ministry has sent 200 scholarship recipients to various foreign universities, such as in the United States, Europe, and other countries," she noted.
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Translator: Syaiful Hakim, Fardah
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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