Kuching, October 2025 – Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) continues to champion digital resilience and community empowerment through its flagship initiative, the CybeARS Program — Cybersecurity and Awareness Raising for Sarawak Entrepreneurs.
Funded by The Asia Foundation with support from Google.org, and in partnership with the CyberPeace Institute and Global Cyber Alliance, the CyBEARS initiative aims to train over 3,000 micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) owners, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and social enterprises across Sarawak in essential cyber hygiene practices over an 18-month period.
Led by Assoc. Prof. Ts. Dr. Sarah Samson Juan, Deputy Dean (Industry and Community Engagement), Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology (FCSIT), UNIMAS, the program reflects the university’s strong commitment to digital inclusion and sustainable community impact.
“We believe that cybersecurity awareness must start at the grassroots. CybeARS empowers entrepreneurs and communities with the knowledge and confidence to protect their digital presence and business operations,” said Dr. Sarah.
The first outreach session under the CybeARS program was successfully held at Kampung Semera, Kota Samarahan, in conjunction with the Kampung Angkat Madani UNIMAS initiative.
The event brought together local entrepreneurs, villagers, and students to learn about basic cybersecurity practices, online fraud prevention, and safe digital habits.
The collaboration showcased UNIMAS’s holistic approach in integrating community engagement with digital capacity-building, fostering a shared culture of cyber awareness from rural to urban areas.
Since then, CybeARS has expanded its outreach to Kapit, Kuching, Kanowit, and Asajaya, engaging hundreds of local entrepreneurs and community members.
Each session includes a 2.5-hour in-person training, interactive demonstrations, and hands-on guidance from UNIMAS trainers.
Participants who complete the program also contribute to an impact study evaluating knowledge retention and behavioral change post-training.
The program further reinforces UNIMAS’s strategic role as a regional hub for community-based digital education, connecting academia, industry, and civil society to build a more cyber-secure Sarawak.
FCSIT is one of the Premier Digital Tech Institutions endorsed by Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC).
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