The National Cybersecurity Authority (NCA) of Saudi Arabia has unveiled a significant stride in cybersecurity advancement with the introduction of the National Program for Research, Development, and Innovation (RDI) in the cybersecurity sector. This initiative is poised to transform the cybersecurity infrastructure by nurturing the Cybersecurity RDI ecosystem within the nation.
With a clear objective to expedite the progression and influence of emergent cyber research, the program is dedicated to fostering the creation of pioneering solutions to tackle current and future cybersecurity challenges. Additionally, it seeks to leverage synergies from national and international collaborations in the cybersecurity domain.
In a move to make substantial progress in cybersecurity, the NCA has disclosed the initial phase of the program, which comprises three impactful initiatives: Cyber Research and Innovation Pioneer Grants, Cyber Industry Research Grants, and Cyber Innovation Bridges.
The program caters to a wide array of participants, ranging from academic institutions, research bodies, to individuals with expertise in cybersecurity, such as scholars and students. It places a premium on eight critical national cybersecurity RDI areas, including NextGen Cyber Defense, Cyber Resilience, Cyber-Physical Technologies and IoT, AI x Cyber, Cryptography and Quantum Security, Behavioral Cyber, Future of Cyber Threats and Attacks, and Cyber Order.
Development of the program is in sync with the efforts of the NCA’s technical partner, the Saudi Information Technology Company (SITE). This strategic alliance is instrumental in aligning the program with NCA’s overarching goals, which encompass the cultivation of human talent in the cybersecurity realm and the amplification of the country’s Cybersecurity RDI contributions.