UBT Introduces Cyber Security and Privacy Center
08/04/2015UBT Rector Dr. Edmond Hajrizi participated today at the workshop “Security Measures as Part of Discussions on Privacy in Digital Era,” organized by the State Agency for the Protection of Personal Data. Addressing the participants, Rector Hajrizi introduced the Center for Cyber Security and Privacy, which operates as part of the UBT.
Dr. Hajrizi also highlighted the undisputable importance of protecting the data in the digital era as well as the opportunities that the UBT center provides in this field. He noted that the center would serve as a reference point for discussions in this field and in offering guidance to all interested institutions at all levels.
Rector Hajrizi stressed that the UBT activities in the security field dated quite back, including through cooperation with the Norwegian universities, which resulted in creating the experience, and many researches of huge interest. He also recalled that the UBT has a cooperation agreement with the State Agency for the Protection of the Personal Data, and pledged on behalf of the UBT cooperation in the future in different projects.
Mr. Mentor Haxhaj from the State Agency for the Protection of the Personal Data also spoke about the good cooperation these two institutions have had. He made a comprehensive presentation on the topic of security of data. “There should be no dilemmas anymore if security is a topic that needs to be discussed at the global, European, and the Kosovar level. A four-year project with Norway and some universities from the region as well as the hard-work done in the security field motivate us to move ahead. As a result of this cooperation, we have a program in the security field and one of them is the establishment of this center. One year ago, the Norwegians established their own center in this field, by involving all interested parties,” he said.
Mr. Hajrizi noted that the UBT was the largest IT school, explaining that the fields of knowledge that the UBT is focused on are connected to a large extend to security aspects.
“Security does not involve only technical aspects but also those related to policies, the standards, and systems. It is a multidisciplinary system and very important for us so that we can approach and deal with this from different fields. We are interested in research and development, because we have an obligation to work in this regard. We are interested in working and enhancing the professional competences in Kosovo because we see that, being a new field, the competence is lacking in this filed. However, it is considered as a field that will generate many jobs. There will be many job opportunities for the persons who deal with security,” Hajrizi said.
Dr. Hajrizi noted that the UBT center would help meeting the standards, application of best practices, and international criteria required in the field of cyber security and privacy. He said the standards were the best tools to be used for a higher quality of work.
“We have our mission and our vision. Our goal is to deal with a number of activities, education, professional expertise, research and development, certification of systems according to the standards, certification of individuals according to the standards and best practices. One of the important topics is processing of the data, researching, publication, and promotion of the topics related to this field,” Hajrizi said.
“The center for Cyber Security and Privacy does not aim to only remain a center of the UBT. It will be a national center to connect all parties interested,” Hajrizi said, adding that it will also be an opportunity for debates and joint exercises on the field covered by security of information.
He said the field involved a number of components and challenges that required adequate answers at the institutional and state level, including academic and practical level in creating the qualified staff which as specific for this filed. Therefore, he said, the establishment of this center was meant to serve this: responding to the challenges in a new field but of a huge interest and importance.
Mr. Hajrizi announced the workshop to be held on 20-22 April, at which many topics of interest from the field of cyber security and privacy would be addressed.
He noted that the UBT is accredited for the Master studies in the filed of security of information and privacy, which is the first program in this field to have been accredited not only in Kosovo but broader in the region, as well as a number of other programs of studies such as computer sciences and information systems. Therefore, there is a good basis to create professional staff in this field, he noted.
The UBT has a laboratory as part of the UBT Innovative Campus, with considerable equipment and a very good environment for researches in this field, said among others the UBT rector while presenting the Center for Cyber Security and Privacy at the workshop organized by the State Agency for the Protection of Personal Data.