Information Technology University (ITU) Wednesday gathered together top Cyber Security experts, industry professionals and academics under one roof for the first Round Table conference deliberating prevalent trends, threats, bottlenecks and avenues of research and collaborations in this domain.

The Round Table hosted by Acting Vice Chancellor ITU and UNESCO Chair of ICTD Prof. Dr. Adnan Noor Mian particularly discussed offering Cyber Security specialization and assessed the prospects of launching a new MS program by ITU.

In the context of today's interconnected world, cyber security plays a pivotal role in safeguarding our digital infrastructure and protecting sensitive information. With the ever-increasing frequency and sophistication of cyber threats, it has become imperative for organizations and individuals alike to strengthen their defenses.

With this perspective in view, Prof. Dr. Adnan Noor Mian took the initiative of hosting the first Round Table in which diverse viewpoints and experiences sparked cross-fertilization of ideas and offered room for networking and collaborations. During the discussions led by Dr. Adnan Noor, a range of subjects including the importance of indigenous cyber security systems, product development, teachers’ training and certifications, student counselling, demand and expectations from cyber professionals in the market, evolving market trends and practices etc. were brought up by the participants.

It was stressed that there is a huge potential for qualified and able cyber professionals in local and global markets and that good undergraduate students should certainly be incentivized to pursue Masters in Cyber Security.  

Prominent industry leaders and academics who took part in the first Round Table included Ahrar Naqvi (CEO Ebryx), Dr. Zartash Afzal Uzmi (Confiz Limited/LUMS), Wahaj Khan (CEO Codesgic), Dr. Hasan Islam (Director WATHEQ Cyber Security Testing and Validation Lab), Dr. Arshad Ali and Dr. Haroon Mahmood (FAST-NUCES), Saad Moten (Security Program Expert, Nokia Networks), Mubarak Mustafa (Cyber security consultant ACET), Adil Irfan (CEO Arhamsoft), Javaid Zahoor (Virtual Force / Kualilatum), Khawaja Faisal Javaid (CEO Codegic), Faheem Akhtar, Asif Iqbal, Dr. Umer Suleman and ITU faculty including Dr. Arif Mehmood, Dr. Umar Janjua, Dr. Khurram Bhatti, Dr. Tauseef Tauqeer, Dr. Qasim Mehmood and Dr. Sara Khawar.

It is hoped that this initiative by Acting Vice Chancellor ITU Prof. Dr. Adnan Noor Mian will lay strong foundations and provide room for rich experiences and multiple perspectives to come together and create a synergy in the domain of Cyber Security domain and beyond.