(ISC)² has entered into a strategic partnership with the Australian Information Security Association (AISA) to jointly work towards a safer and more secure cyber world.

As part of the Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA), AISA recognises (ISC)² certifications as the global standard for cybersecurity certifications that AISA members can aspire to and achieve. AISA will run quarterly certification sessions to its membership for (ISC)² certifications including the CISSP, CCSP and SSCP, among others. AISA will promote to its members (ISC)²’s webinar series and its research studies, and offer discounts on (ISC)² Professional Development Institute (PDI) courses. The SPA enhances, deepens and solidifies measures contained in the earlier Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between (ISC)² and AISA.

The 2019 (ISC)² Cybersecurity Workforce Study indicates that the current cybersecurity workforce shortage in Australia requires an increase of approximately 45,000 skilled staff. In order to advance the cause of the cybersecurity profession and attract more talent, (ISC)² and AISA will help facilitate access to each other’s initiatives to provide additional insights and value to members of both organizations.

“There is a natural alignment between the visions held by (ISC)² and AISA, so both associations and their members can benefit from the type of collaboration we have agreed to,” said Clayton Jones, managing director for Asia-Pacific, (ISC)². “By partnering on cybersecurity education and awareness initiatives, we hope to advance the information security profession and standards development in Australia and address some of the challenges that exist when it comes to the workforce gap.”

In return, (ISC)² recognizes AISA as the peak body for the cybersecurity industry in Australia, recognizing the immense efforts AISA has undertaken to improve cybersecurity resilience across Australia. (ISC)² will promote the availability of AISA digital content and studies to its Australian members. In addition, AISA branches outside Sydney and Melbourne will operate as de-facto Chapters for (ISC)² under a special interest arrangement.

“The strategic partnership between (ISC)² and AISA helps to strengthen and develop cybersecurity capability and maturity in Australia,” said Damien Manuel, Board Chair, AISA. “Partnering helps to bring the sector together and provides additional opportunities for AISA members to contribute to the safety of Australians.”