How 300 Academic Partnerships Are Helping Close the Cyber Skills Gap
Check Point’s SecureAcademy has reached 300 academic partnerships across more than 80 countries, connecting educational institutions with industry-aligned cyber security training and resources. While the milestone reflects the program’s continued growth, it also highlights a broader shift: educational institutions are increasingly looking for ways to align cyber security education with the skills employers need today.
Turning Classrooms into Career Pathways
Organizations worldwide continue to face a shortage of cyber security professionals, while educational institutions are under pressure to keep pace with rapidly evolving technologies and threats. Through SecureAcademy, institutions gain access to cyber security curricula, certifications, instructor resources, and hands-on learning experiences that help connect academic learning with practical application.
Why 300 Institutions Chose to Partner with Check Point
Despite differences in geography, size, and educational focus, many of SecureAcademy’s partners share similar objectives: preparing students for cyber security careers, aligning programs with industry requirements, and providing learners with skills that employers value. Today, the program includes universities, colleges, vocational institutions, and nonprofit organizations, creating a global network focused on strengthening cyber security education and expanding opportunities for students.
“SecureAcademy has helped us enhance our cyber security offerings with industry-relevant resources and practical learning opportunities,” said Joel Caminer, Senior Director, NYU Center for Cyber security (CCS). “Providing students with exposure to current technologies and real-world security challenges helps better prepare them for the opportunities and expectations of today’s cyber security workforce.”
“Reaching 300 academic partnerships is an important milestone, but the real achievement is the global community of educators helping students build meaningful cyber security careers,” said Eitan Lugassi-Gilad, VP, Check Point Services. “Every institution we work with is helping strengthen the cyber security workforce and expand access to opportunities in one of the world’s most critical fields.”
Beyond Curriculum: Connecting Students to Industry
Many academic partnership programs focus on scale. SecureAcademy has taken a different approach, emphasizing long-term collaboration with educators and helping institutions integrate cyber security training into existing programs. Beyond course content, the program provides access to certifications, instructor enablement, practical training resources, industry expertise, and hands-on learning environments that help institutions strengthen their cyber security offerings and create stronger connections between the classroom and the workplace.
“Through strategic partnerships with global cyber security leaders like Check Point Software Technologies, we deliver an industry-aligned education that gives our students a distinctive edge,” said Dr. Joel Yang, Director of the School of InfoComm Technology, Ngee Ann Polytechnic. “Today’s increasingly complex threat landscape calls for cyber security professionals to possess critical decision-making skills. By creating learning environments that reflect how cyber security teams operate in practice, our students build both the skills and confidence needed to help safeguard digital and enterprise infrastructure.”
The 300-partner milestone reflects a growing recognition that effective cyber security education requires strong connections between academia and industry. By providing access to industry expertise, practical training, and real-world technologies, SecureAcademy helps institutions enhance learning and better prepare students for cybersecurity careers.
Check Point Services helps organizations strengthen cyber resilience through expert-led consulting, managed security, incident response, training, and workforce development. Combining cyber security expertise, threat intelligence, and hands-on education, Check Point Services helps customers reduce risk, improve security operations, and build the skills needed to address evolving threats. Through SecureAcademy, this commitment extends to academia, helping educational institutions equip students with practical cyber security knowledge and industry-recognized skills.
Ready to join a global community shaping the future of cyber security education?
