New funding to train ASEAN cyber-defenders at the Malaysia CCoE, expanding Canada's Indo-Pacific commitment to strengthen regional cyber resilience and workforce development
KUALA LUMPUR, MY / ACCESS Newswire / October 28, 2025 / BlackBerry Limited (NYSE:BB)(TSX:BB) and the Malaysia Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) today welcomed an announcement by Canada's Prime Minister, Mark Carney, that Global Affairs Canada is deepening its commitment to regional cybersecurity capacity-building by expanding its investment in advancing cybersecurity capacity building through the MCMC and BlackBerry Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (CCoE) in Cyberjaya. Under this initiative, Global Affairs Canada will provide CAD $226,000 to upskill and train cyber-defenders from across ASEAN delivered at the CCoE by BlackBerry in collaboration with MCMC. Announced during the 47th ASEAN Leaders Summit in Kuala Lumpur, the two-year investment will cover the training, for 100 government and select civil society professionals at the Malaysia CCoE in Cyberjaya. Hosted within MCMC's Cyberjaya complex, the MCMC and BlackBerry CCoE serves as Malaysia's national hub for cyber-capacity development and ASEAN regional training.
"Our new government is investing in the Canadian ingenuity that powers and secures economies worldwide, while expanding our footprint in the Indo-Pacific. This investment supports BlackBerry - a Canadian success story - in strengthening its global leadership. It reflects our vision: Canadian innovation fueling global markets and building secure, resilient digital infrastructure."- The Right Honourable, Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada
This additional funding builds on Canada's $3.9 million CAD investment in cybersecurity training and education, announced in 2024. This funding will strengthen cybersecurity partnerships and expertise in the region through enhanced training opportunities for professionals pursuing careers in cyber resilience. In collaboration with BlackBerry, MCMC and the Toronto Metropolitan University's Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst ("the Catalyst"), the first courses are commencing in November 2025 under this first phase of funding.
The additional funding announced by Prime Minister Carney will support specialized programming scheduled for 2026, including a five-day intensive ASEAN Week from February 9-13. It will feature a non-technical track covering foundational concepts and a technical track delivering advanced training, including the Security Operations Center (SOC) Analyst Fundamentals. Another key component of the program is a dedicated Women's Program for 10 candidates from ASEAN Member States, to be delivered in partnership with TMU Rogers 'the Catalyst'. The initiative is part of a broader vision of the Canada-Malaysia agreement, to train approximately 3,500 participants, with a target of 25% women, across the region.
John Giamatteo, CEO of BlackBerry concludes, "The MCMC and BlackBerry Cybersecurity Center of Excellence is a vital hub for developing cyber talent both nationally and across the region, and we are proud to join with the Government of Canada and Malaysia to enhance the curriculum and increase access to cyber training. As we continue to innovate and enhance the facility, participants from Malaysia and ASEAN will also benefit from hands-on experience to better prepare them for the real-world of cybersecurity."
Since opening its doors in 2024, the MCMC and BlackBerry CCoE has trained over 5500 people, delivering more than 36,000 hours of training, and offers a range of over 55 courses, together with globally-certified training partners such as SANS, ISC2, CompTIA and EC-Council. BlackBerry and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) also just signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the sidelines of the 47th ASEAN Summit on October 27, announcing a multi-year education partnership to develop the nation's next generation of cyber-leaders and embedded software engineers.
In addition to the ASEAN curriculum expansion, the facility is also undergoing a transformative upgrade, featuring high-performance labs, a cyber "war room," a Security Operations Centre (SOC) simulator, and interactive kiosks. These enhancements will provide cyber defenders with immersive, real-world training opportunities, in addition to its wide range of in-person and online courses - which cater for flexible, self-paced learning.
