Higher Diploma in Cybersecurity (Testing and Compliance)

Programme Aims

The Cybersecurity Higher Diploma programme at HKCT not only teaches professional knowledge related to cybersecurity but also places great emphasis on practical application. With state-of-the-art facilities, renowned cybersecurity institutions, and industry-leading technology companies, the programme provides students with opportunities to apply their learning, enabling them to enter the fields of information technology security and network management upon graduation. Additionally, this cybersecurity programme qualifies graduates to pursue a bachelor's degree, further advancing their academic expertise in cybersecurity-related fields.

Programme Features

• Funding support: HKCT successfully sought around HK$20 million subsidy from ESGS (Enhancement and Start-up Grant Scheme for Self-financing Post-secondary Education) to develop this Programme and equip it with professional hardware and system platforms in order to provide students with the latest and vocational teaching & learning facilities.
• State-of-the-art Cyber Labs: Our Cybersecurity Higher Diploma programme established 'Security Operations Centre' and 'Cyber Range & Practice Centre' allow a wide range of teaching and learning activities such as scene simulation, competition, research, testing, drill and exercise. Students in these Centres can interact with virtual and cyber world status in real-time for experiments and training, such as network attack and defense, network invasion and maintenance, and even the embedment and detection of Trojan worm. The professional facilities have supported the Hong Kong and Macau cybersecurity competitions twice.
• Cyber Range Interconnection: HKCT cyber range serves as a Hong Kong regional centre of the Peng Cheng Laboratory national-level cyber range. It has achieved platform interconnection with the Yellow Crane Cyber Range of Huazhong University of Science and Technology located in the national network security base, the Industrial Control Cyber Security Range of Guilin University of Electronic Technology, and the Jiaxing Cyber Range of Zhejiang University. It facilitates the initiation of online simulation tests and competitions.
• Strong Industry Ties: We partner with renowned local and mainland technology companies (e.g., China Unicom Hong Kong, IntegrityTech HK Limited, Topsec, Sangfor Technologies) to provide students with local and Greater Bay Area exchange, training, internship, and career opportunities. IntegrityTech HK Limited notably supports HKCT cybersecurity competitions and provides Capture The Flag (CTF) competition resources for our cybersecurity students.
• Renowned Academic Partners: We work closely with Shenzhen Polytechnic University to offer students a platform for exchanging knowledge and experience in different fields, including cybersecurity. Co-constructed the 'Zhejiang-Hong Kong Cross-Border Data Security Research Centre' with 'The School of Cyber Science and Technology (SCST) at Zhejiang University' to join hands to develop professional skills, product manufacturing, research, and technology exchange, etc. Moreover, we cooperate with top-notch cybersecurity institutes in mainland China including Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Xidian University, and Shanghai Jiao Tong University to cultivate cybersecurity talents.
• Support by HKSAR Bureau: Commendation on facilities received from Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau (ITIB), Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau (CSTCB) and Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) etc.
• Route to Professionalism: This Programme prepares students who wish to pursue related certificates such as CISSP, CISA and CISP in this profession.

Featured Modules

• Wireless and Mobile Security
• Penetration Testing
• Network Traffic Analysis
• Cybersecurity Practice
• Digital Forensics
• Introduction to IT Audit
• Cybersecurity Project

Full Programme Modules

HKCT has established a dedicated CTF Club to provide students with specialised cybersecurity skills training and a platform for academic exchange. This initiative aims to strengthen collaboration, communication, and knowledge sharing among students, ultimately enhancing their competitiveness in the cybersecurity field. The CTF Club will also seek external collaboration opportunities with various organisations and industries, offering students a broader learning platform and opportunities for external exchanges.

Students in the CTF Club form teams and regularly participate in online and internal Capture the Flag (CTF) and Attack With Defence Plus (AWDP) competitions. Sharing sessions facilitate technical exchange, competition analysis, and valuable learning insights.

Articulation Pathways

2+2 Articulation Scheme

Students who have completed the 2-year HKCT ‘Higher Diploma in Cybersecurity (Testing and Compliance)’ will be eligible to receive admission offer^ of the 2-year CTIHE ‘Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Computer Science and Cybersecurity' / 'Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Computer Science and AI Engineering’ of senior-year entry (i.e. direct entry to the third year of the Programme). It only takes 4 years for students to achieve both Higher Diploma and Bachelor Degree qualifications.

^Students should acquire designated academic result and pass an interview, and subject to the availability of the quota.

Graduates can also apply for admission to overseas universities and local degree programmes.
Graduates may apply for the following top-up bachelor's degree programmes:

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology 
- BEng in Computer Engineering
- BEng in Computer Science   

City University of Hong Kong
- BEng in Computer and Data Engineering
- BEng (Hons) in Information Engineering
- BSc in Computer Science

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
- BSc (Hons) in Information Security

Hong Kong Baptist University
- BSc (Hons) in Computer Science

The Education University of Hong Kong
- BEd (Hons) (Secondary) - Information & Communication Technology

Hong Kong Metropolitan University
- BSc (Hons) in Cyber and Computer Security

Employment Prospects

Graduates can also seek employment in the following roles^# such as Cyber/ Information Security Officer, Junior Cyber/ R&D Engineer, Network Administrator/ Engineer, IT Officer etc.

Current Cybersecurity Job Positions and Career Pathway in Hong Kong:
- Chief Information Security Officer/ Chief Security Officer/ Head of Cyber Security）
- Information Security Executive/ Cyber Security Executive
- Information Security Director/ Cyber Security Lead
- Information Security Manager/ Cyber Security Manager, SOC Manager, Cyber Security Product Manager, Security Operations Center Manager
- Information Security Analyst/ Cyber Security Engineer/ Pentester/ AWS Cloud Architect/ Security Consultant）
- Entry Level Cyber Security Engineer

^#Eligible to local students only

We are committed to providing internship opportunities that expose students to advanced applications and technologies beyond the school curriculum. Through real-world experience in actual work environments, these internships facilitate career planning after graduation. In recent years, students have interned at the following companies:

• China Unicom Global (Top 3 Telecommunications Provider in Hong Kong)
• Hong Kong Electric (Hong Kong's first electric utility company)
• Topsec Technologies Group (Leading Cybersecurity Enterprise in China)
• MultiSoft (IT enterprise solutions provider specialising in Cyber Security, Hybrid Cloud, System Infrastructure, Digital Transformation and IT Managed Service)

The programme also provides with Internship positions and working opportunities including:

• Assistant R&D Engineer
• Junior Cyber Engineer
• Cybersecurity Operations Engineer