I N D U S T R Y
P E R S P E C T I V E S
APAC NATIONS OFFERED FREE TRAINING TO COUNTER QUANTUM COMPUTING THREATS Monash University has teamed up with the Oceania
stronger relationships and data protection across the
Cyber Security Centre (OCSC) — an organisation
entire region.”
established in 2016 by eight Victorian Universities and the Victorian Government to advance cybersecurity
Specifically, the program will train cybersecurity
education and research in Australia and the Indo-
and information technology professionals from
Pacific — to train organisations across Asia Pacific
participating organisations to understand and
how to protect information from the threats posed by
develop the capability to deploy NIST Post-Quantum
quantum computing.
Cryptography standards.
They have launched the Post-Quantum Cryptography
PQCIP is being funded by the US Department of State
in the Indo-Pacific Program (PQCIP) through which
and all components will be available to identified
they will work with organisations and government
participants free of charge. It will run from 2023
bodies in Malaysia, Indonesia, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu,
to 2025.
Papua New Guinea, Kiribati, Federated States of Micronesia, Tuvalu, the Cook Islands and Nauru.
Cybersecurity experts from Monash and OCSC will provide participants with an assessment of their
OCSC head of research and capacity building, Dr
current post-quantum cybersecurity capabilities,
James Boorman, said the program aimed to give
tailored education, planning and cyber threat evaluation.
participants advanced understanding of postquantum cryptography, comprehensive knowledge
According to the program website, “Participants will
of related tools, and the ability to develop their own
finish the program with an advanced understanding
transition plan to secure their organisations from
of post-quantum cryptography challenges, knowledge
quantum computing threats.
of the tools to meet them, and [will] develop their own evaluated transition plan for their organisation
“The training will be adapted to fit the local needs, be
… Through the course of the program, participants
available online for reference after the course and free
will learn to identify their knowledge gaps and what
for anyone managing or working in IT or cybersecurity
vulnerabilities against quantum computing attacks
within most government entities and organisations in
already exist in their systems.
any of the 11 countries, excluding military, intelligence or law-enforcement,” he said.
Organisations interested in participating in the program are requested to email their name, the name
“Collaboratively standardising and enhancing
of the organisation they work for and their nationality
cybersecurity within these countries will result in
to pqcip@monash.edu.
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