The SRM Institute of Science and Technology (SRMIST) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with global cybersecurity firm SISA to enhance cybersecurity education and workforce readiness in India. The partnership aims to bridge the growing skills gap by equipping students with industry-relevant expertise in cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.
Announcing the collaboration, Mr. Dharshan Shanthamurthy, Founder & CEO of SISA, said India’s shortage of skilled cybersecurity professionals threatens both “digital trust and national security,” adding that the initiative will help prepare the next generation of experts.
The MoU comes in the wake of the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana, which seeks to create over 3.5 crore jobs in the next two years. To align with this vision, SRMIST students will gain hands-on exposure to enterprise-grade tools, co-develop frameworks, and work on solutions addressing emerging cyber threats. The collaboration was inaugurated with a Hackathon Challenge that drew participation from more than 200 students.
Dr. Revathi Venkataraman, Chairperson of the School of Computing, SRMIST, emphasized the importance of practical training: “Cybersecurity cannot be learned from textbooks alone. This partnership gives students the chance to work on real-world problems and develop innovative solutions.”
As part of the initiative, SISA will offer bootcamps, hackathons, industry case studies, and certification programs, along with 60 hours of annual training for the broader student community. Learners will also gain access to SISA’s AI-driven cybersecurity platform, integrated into the curriculum via a secure virtual cloud.
