Attending the “Industry Panel Discussion” are Mr Tony Wong Chi-kwong (front, third right), Commissioner for Digital Policy of the HKSAR Government; Mr Edmond Lai Shiao-bun (front, fourth left), Chief Digital Officer of the Hong Kong Productivity Council; Prof. Philips Wang Fu-lee (front, fourth right), Dean of the HKMU School of Science and Technology, and industry representatives.
Prof. Hon William Wong Kam-fai (front, fifth right), Legislative Council Member and Associate Dean (External Affairs) of the Faculty of Engineering of CUHK, and Dr Eva Tsang Yuen-mei (front, fifth left), HKMU Associate Vice President (Strategic Initiatives), with scholars at the “Academic Forum” to discuss strategies for nurturing cybersecurity talent.
Mr Tony Wong points out that the industry's support for academia can ensure curricula design aligns with practical needs and equips students with cutting-edge technologies and practical skills.
Industry experts engage in a roundtable discussion on technological trends and talent development in the field of cybersecurity.
The Hong Kong Cybersecurity Talent Development Summit, co-organised by Hong Kong Metropolitan University (HKMU) and the National Policy Research Institute on 22 February, brought together experts from research, academia and industry to explore strategies and challenges in cultivating cybersecurity talent in Hong Kong. The summit aimed to provide a platform to deepen collaboration among the three sectors to develop cybersecurity professionals equipped with both expertise and practical experience.
The event featured two key segments: the “Academic Forum” and the “Industry Panel Discussion”. Distinguished speakers included Mr Tony Wong Chi-kwong, Commissioner for Digital Policy of the HKSAR Government; Mr Edmond Lai Shiao-bun, Chief Digital Officer of the Hong Kong Productivity Council; and Prof. Hon William Wong Kam-fai, Legislative Council Member and Associate Dean (External Affairs) of the Faculty of Engineering at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). Keynote speeches were delivered by scholars from universities in Hong Kong, the Mainland and overseas, as well as industry leaders from information technology and telecommunications enterprises.
Dr Eva Tsang Yuen-mei, HKMU Associate Vice President (Strategic Initiatives), emphasised that as Hong Kong's first university of applied sciences, HKMU offers a Bachelor of Science with Honours in Cyber and Computer Security, a programme that integrates cutting-edge technical education with industry internships to provide students with insights into real-world challenges. “HKMU is committed to nurturing talent equipped with practical skills and innovative thinking,” she said. “Our programme incorporates extensive internships to equip students with market-relevant skills and application capabilities. This integration of research, academia and industry enhances students' hands-on abilities and contributes to the development of Hong Kong's cybersecurity talent.”
Mr Tony Wong highlighted the increasing complexity of today's cybersecurity landscape, emphasising the urgent need for professionals with specialised knowledge and hands-on experience. “Higher education institutions are the cradle of future talent, and industry support ensures that curricula align with practical needs, equipping students with cutting-edge technologies and practical skills,” he said. “I encourage long-term partnerships between industry and academia to nurture talent that keeps pace with industry advancements.”
Mr Edmond Lai shared recent data from the Hong Kong Computer Emergency Response Team Coordination Centre (HKCERT), noting that phishing incidents in 2024 surged by 108% year on year (YoY) and malware cases rose 4.8-fold YoY, signalling a severe cybersecurity situation. Citing a global talent shortfall of 4.7 million cybersecurity professionals, he underscored the pressing need to accelerate local talent training in Hong Kong to counter large-scale cybersecurity threats.
Prof. William Wong pointed out that with the popularisation of artificial intelligence (AI), society faces challenges related to escalating cyber threats and data security. “Data used to train AI is critical,” he said. “If the underlying data is compromised or corrupted during training, it directly affects the result, potentially corrupting entire systems and causing malfunctions.” He praised the timeliness of the summit, describing it as a valuable platform for industry-academia exchange.
The summit featured a number of breakout discussions and exchange sessions, with participants engaging in in-depth dialogues on cybersecurity education, technological trends and talent needs. Industry representatives proposed enhancing students’ practical skills through internships and competitions. Academics and researchers gained insights into the latest industry needs to optimise curriculum design and pursue industry-driven studies. The summit fostered open and enthusiastic dialogue among the three sectors, promoting sustained collaboration for the long-term advancement of Hong Kong’s cybersecurity landscape.
Attending the “Industry Panel Discussion” are Mr Tony Wong Chi-kwong (front, third right), Commissioner for Digital Policy of the HKSAR Government; Mr Edmond Lai Shiao-bun (front, fourth left), Chief Digital Officer of the Hong Kong Productivity Council; Prof. Philips Wang Fu-lee (front, fourth right), Dean of the HKMU School of Science and Technology, and industry representatives.
The Hong Kong Cybersecurity Talent Development Summit, co-organised by Hong Kong Metropolitan University (HKMU) and the National Policy Research Institute on 22 February, brought together experts from research, academia and industry to explore strategies and challenges in cultivating cybersecurity talent in Hong Kong. The summit aimed to provide a platform to deepen collaboration among the three sectors to develop cybersecurity professionals equipped with both expertise and practical experience.
The event featured two key segments: the “Academic Forum” and the “Industry Panel Discussion”. Distinguished speakers included Mr Tony Wong Chi-kwong, Commissioner for Digital Policy of the HKSAR Government; Mr Edmond Lai Shiao-bun, Chief Digital Officer of the Hong Kong Productivity Council; and Prof. Hon William Wong Kam-fai, Legislative Council Member and Associate Dean (External Affairs) of the Faculty of Engineering at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). Keynote speeches were delivered by scholars from universities in Hong Kong, the Mainland and overseas, as well as industry leaders from information technology and telecommunications enterprises.
Dr Eva Tsang Yuen-mei, HKMU Associate Vice President (Strategic Initiatives), emphasised that as Hong Kong's first university of applied sciences, HKMU offers a Bachelor of Science with Honours in Cyber and Computer Security, a programme that integrates cutting-edge technical education with industry internships to provide students with insights into real-world challenges. “HKMU is committed to nurturing talent equipped with practical skills and innovative thinking,” she said. “Our programme incorporates extensive internships to equip students with market-relevant skills and application capabilities. This integration of research, academia and industry enhances students' hands-on abilities and contributes to the development of Hong Kong's cybersecurity talent.”
Mr Tony Wong highlighted the increasing complexity of today's cybersecurity landscape, emphasising the urgent need for professionals with specialised knowledge and hands-on experience. “Higher education institutions are the cradle of future talent, and industry support ensures that curricula align with practical needs, equipping students with cutting-edge technologies and practical skills,” he said. “I encourage long-term partnerships between industry and academia to nurture talent that keeps pace with industry advancements.”
Mr Edmond Lai shared recent data from the Hong Kong Computer Emergency Response Team Coordination Centre (HKCERT), noting that phishing incidents in 2024 surged by 108% year on year (YoY) and malware cases rose 4.8-fold YoY, signalling a severe cybersecurity situation. Citing a global talent shortfall of 4.7 million cybersecurity professionals, he underscored the pressing need to accelerate local talent training in Hong Kong to counter large-scale cybersecurity threats.
Prof. William Wong pointed out that with the popularisation of artificial intelligence (AI), society faces challenges related to escalating cyber threats and data security. “Data used to train AI is critical,” he said. “If the underlying data is compromised or corrupted during training, it directly affects the result, potentially corrupting entire systems and causing malfunctions.” He praised the timeliness of the summit, describing it as a valuable platform for industry-academia exchange.
The summit featured a number of breakout discussions and exchange sessions, with participants engaging in in-depth dialogues on cybersecurity education, technological trends and talent needs. Industry representatives proposed enhancing students’ practical skills through internships and competitions. Academics and researchers gained insights into the latest industry needs to optimise curriculum design and pursue industry-driven studies. The summit fostered open and enthusiastic dialogue among the three sectors, promoting sustained collaboration for the long-term advancement of Hong Kong’s cybersecurity landscape.
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