Dubai Police Academy recently launched a program that is the first master’s degree in cybersecurity, distinguishing itself by becoming the first police academy in the Arab world to offer a master’s degree in cybersecurity. The programme, which would last one year, has the tuition fee pegged at Dh60,000 and would aim at training students in advanced skills in fighting new cyber threats.
Table of Contents
First-of-its-kind programme
Dr. Ebtsam Al Awadhi, the Director of Graduate Studies at Dubai Police Academy, has stated that this programme will be completed in three semesters along with a summer term (30 credit hours). In contrast to traditional two- to three-year master programmes offered in police institutions, the programme is created in a fast-track format, and consistency with rigorous academic standards is not compromised.
The curriculum focuses on four key areas:
- Policies and management
- Digital forensics
- Digital infrastructure and security
- Scientific research and publishing
Eligibility requirements
Admission is accessible to both citizens and residents of the UAE with a bachelor’s degree in law, security sciences, or discipline-associated fields of study from a university recognized by the UAE Ministry of Higher Education. Applicants must:
- Have a minimum GPA of 3.0
- Possess at least five years of professional cybersecurity experience
- Meet English language proficiency benchmarks: IELTS 5.5, TOEFL CBT 5.5, TOEFL IBT 550, or hold a degree from an English-medium university in a country where English is the official language
- Pass an academic exam and a personal interview
Practical training focus
The programme is designed to meet industry demands, according to the words of Dr. Saeed Al Rashdi, cybersecurity expert. It has been built directly in collaboration with the labor market, and even the faculty members will be experts in the industry. A combination of theoretical study and practical training will comprise the greatest proportion of the training, he said.
Also Read: Top 5 Co Working Spaces in Dubai
Supporting Dubai’s fight against cybercrime
Dubai Police has been leading the fight against digital crimes with its dedicated structures like the Criminal Data Analysis Centre and partnership with the General Department of Criminal Investigation (CID). The units use AI-based capabilities to identify hotspots and forecast cyber threats.
The police force has in the past taken down large-scale, cross-border cyber-fraud networks. A noteworthy example was the effort of tracking a group of fraudsters after a multi-billion-dirham scheme was committed through the use of sophisticated e-tracking tools.
Graduates of the cybersecurity master’s programme should therefore be in a good place to work towards such missions. Events will then select the best students who might graduate with direct recruitment into the cybersecurity department of Dubai Police.
Registration details
Applications to the first cohort, which is believed to accommodate between 15 and 20 students, can now be made through the Dubai Police Academy website.
The academy will train 200,000 recruits in cybersecurity, underlining the commitment of Dubai to developing the next generation of cybersecurity leaders in the Middle East.