On August 21, Kaspersky and the Posts and Telecommunications Institute of Technology (PTIT) signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), marking a new step in cooperation between the two sides to develop network security human resources in Vietnam.
Regarding this issue, Lao Dong interviewed Ms. Evgeniya Russkikh, Global Director of Cyber Security Training at Kaspersky.
Network security personnel in Vietnam are severely lacking, estimated at more than 600,000 people. According to you, from the perspective of a global security company and Vietnam is a large market, how long can this problem be solved?
- In my opinion, solving the problem of network security personnel shortage in Vietnam is a long-term process and cannot be completed in just a few years. With more than 600,000 network security personnel positions still lacking, Vietnam not only needs to increase the number of graduates but also must focus on developing practical skills that businesses need.
To narrow this human resource gap, close coordination between universities, businesses and state management agencies is needed. Each side plays an important role in training the next generation of cybersecurity experts, while ensuring that the training program closely follows the constantly changing needs of the market.
Currently, global research on the labor force is gradually shifting its focus from calculating "how much manpower is missing" to specifically identifying skill gaps. The industry is increasingly realizing that counting the number of personnel is not very meaningful if there is no consensus on the knowledge and skills they need.
Why did the unit choose the Academy of Posts and Telecommunications to cooperate in training on cybersecurity? Kaspersky aims to participate in supporting the training of how many cybersecurity personnel, and how long?
- We chose PTIT because it is not only one of the leading training institutions in Vietnam in telecommunications and information security, but also has the scale and academic foundation needed to build a sustainable network security human resource.
Within the framework of the three-year cooperation program, we currently aim to support at least 150 PTIT students to have free access to Kaspersky's Cybersecurity Entry Level and Cybersecurity Fundamentals courses, combined with training sessions directly guided by experts, practical workshops, Bootcamps and Hackathon.
In three years of cooperation, we want to build an effective cooperation model between businesses and schools, thereby helping students move from academic knowledge to practical cybersecurity capabilities, meeting the requirements of work immediately after graduation.
In addition to the Academy of Posts and Telecommunications, with which units does Kaspersky also cooperate to find solutions for network security personnel in Vietnam?
In addition to PTIT, Kaspersky is also cooperating with the People's Security Academy (PSA) and VIETNET-ICT to strengthen cybersecurity capabilities in Vietnam.
In 2025, we also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the People's Security Academy to promote training and research activities on cybersecurity, including the development of cybersecurity laboratories, professional training and academic exchange.
This year, we continue to coordinate with VIETNET-ICT to build the Cyber Resilience Handbook for Educators, expected to be launched in October 2026.
A reality is that the training curriculum at many cybersecurity training universities does not keep up with reality. In addition, many graduates lack practical combat skills, leading to a mismatch between supply and demand. How do you assess this issue and what are the solutions?
From Kaspersky's perspective, the challenge is not only to update the training program to keep up with reality, but also to create conditions for students to have enough opportunities to access network security situations in reality.
Threats are constantly developing, so students not only need to understand the foundational concepts but also need to know how attacks take place and how to respond to those situations.
This is a field that businesses can complement universities. We believe that the most effective approach is to combine academic knowledge platforms with regular business participation, practical training and opportunities to access real-world cybersecurity situations.
