MasterCard Inc.
01/15/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/15/2025 08:30
Mastercard partners with Northeastern University to advance cybersecurity innovation and strengthen Canada’s diverse tech workforce
Mastercard partners with Northeastern University to advance cybersecurity innovation and strengthen Canada's diverse tech workforce
January 15, 2025 | Vancouver, BCNew initiative establishes research programs and scholarships to help empower underrepresented groups and secure the digital economy.
Mastercard is partnering with Northeastern University in Vancouver to accelerate cybersecurity innovation and expand Canada's technology workforce. Through $715,000 CAD, the collaboration will establish the Mastercard Professorship Fund and the Mastercard Vancouver Scholarship, initiatives designed to advance research and create opportunities for women, BIPOC students and underrepresented groups in cybersecurity over the next three years.
"Investing in pioneering research and diverse talent is essential to driving innovation that truly reflects and serves all Canadians," said Mansur Mirani, Vice President, Global Intelligence and Cyber Centre of Excellence in Vancouver, Mastercard. "This partnership combines cutting-edge research with experiential learning, equipping the next generation of leaders to tackle the most critical challenges in cybersecurity and deliver solutions that make a real-world impact."
The professorship will be designed to focus on cybersecurity research and engages 100 students in total over three years through industry internships, with half of them coming from underrepresented backgrounds. The partnership aims to combat bias in learning models and solutions developed by providing opportunities to those often underrepresented in cybersecurity fields.
"Northeastern University is dedicated to providing graduate-level education that is both experiential and research-focused," said Steve Eccles, Regional CEO and Dean, Northeastern University in Vancouver. "This partnership with Mastercard will give our students an incredible opportunity to actively participate in groundbreaking research in one of the fastest growing sectors in Canada and produce graduates who will be able to hit the ground running in the cybersecurity industry."
The tech sector in Vancouver continues to be a hub for research development of cybersecurity solutions in the growing digital economy. Through this investment, Mastercard is playing a leading role in maturing new talent in the region.
This partnership with Northeastern University in Vancouver builds on Mastercard's commitment to Canada's innovation and technology landscape, and it is an extension of its $510-million investment in the Global Intelligence and Cyber Centre of Excellence in Vancouver. Through these investments, Mastercard is bridging the gap between the academic and technology sectors, driving cybersecurity innovation, and ensuring Canada has a growing highly skilled workforce that will ensure it remains at the forefront of global innovation.
About Northeastern University
Founded in 1898, Northeastern University is a global research university with an R1 Carnegie classification, and the recognized leader in experiential lifelong learning. Northeastern's global university system includes 13 campuses across the U.S., U.K., and Canada, and serves as a platform for scaling ideas, talent, and solutions. Students study, conduct research, and work on co-op in 149 countries and on all continents. The university has 300,000-plus alumni and more than 3,500 industry partners worldwide.
About Mastercard
Mastercard powers economies and empowers people in 200+ countries and territories worldwide. Together with our customers, we're building a sustainable economy where everyone can prosper. We support a wide range of digital payments choices, making transactions secure, simple, smart and accessible. Our technology and innovation, partnerships and networks combine to deliver a unique set of products and services that help people, businesses and governments realize their greatest potential.