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Thales has further strengthened its partnership with Qatar University, to reinforce the transfer of knowledge in cybersecurity, by extending its sponsorship of a "Professional Chair" and by providing a cutting edge Cyber Range software training platform.

This builds on the agreement Thales signed with Qatar University to sponsor a ‘Professional Chair’ in 2014.  The renewed partnership on the cyber security demonstrates the trustful cooperation established between Qatar University and Thales over the years, and Thales strong commitment to support Qatar education sector on the long run.

With the contribution of the Cyber Range software training platform to Qatar University, developed in collaboration with Diateam, Thales offers another advanced training tool for students. Cyber Range is designed to help organisations improve their capabilities to ensure that they are adequately prepared for cyberattacks. Cyber Range has three critical services: practice, validation and experimentation. As a training platform, it aims at developing skills to defend systems and organizations against cyber-attacks. It also reproduces/simulates information and industrial systems from the simplest to the most complicated, in order to analyse their resistance to attacks. It is also a perfect tool to evaluate the products and solutions in terms of cyber security.

Commenting on the agreement, College of Engineering Dean Prof Abdelmagid Hammuda said:

This cooperation with Thales to renew the chair MoU which represents the good relations between academia and industry and the commitment of both to graduate highly professional engineers in different industrial areas. We are proud of this partnership which will add great value to education and research at QU and which will contribute significantly to Qatar’s society as a whole.

Frederic Sallet, Qatar VP, Country Director of Thales, said:

The sponsorship of the Professional Chair for cybersecurity by Thales had achieved tangible results with Qatar University, developing stronger skillsets and access to knowledge-based on this important topic that is central to the digital transformation shaping Qatar today in line with the National Vision 2030. The renewed partnership also highlights the industry-academic links that are central to driving Qatari human capital development, especially in technology. Thales Group’s continuous support will further add to the skills of Qatari youth as they start their careers in both the public and private sector.

Pierre Jeanne, VP cybersecurity solutions and technologies of Thales, said:

This is a great example of the long-term partnerships that we foster with academia to nurture the skills of Qatar’s next generation talents. As a key partner in the development of defence capacities and infrastructure of the country, including its ambitious projects such as Doha Metro, Lusail LRT or Hamad Port, we are committed to promoting Qatari talents, especially in advanced technology. Cyber security skills are key to the digital era of today, and through our partnership, we will contribute to the knowledge base of Qatar University students."

Thales has a strong history of partnerships and presence in Qatar for over 35 years, in various areas including security for critical infrastructures, aerospace, rail and cybersecurity. With over 330 dedicated staff members in the country, Thales has also historically provided defence systems for the Qatar Armed Forces.

About Qatar University.

Qatar University is the premier national university of Qatar. Established in 1973, it serves over 15,000 students and offers more than 60 specializations. The organization is committed to providing high-quality education to Qatari and international students in areas of national priority. Its academic programs are aligned with established international standards and best practices. This was achieved through accreditation of many of its colleges, programs and courses by leading international accrediting bodies such as ABET and AACSB.