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Ministry of Digital Development and Information
Speeches

Opening Remarks by SMS Tan Kiat How at the AiSP Student Volunteer Recognition Programme Award Ceremony on 20 Jan 2026

20 January 2026

Introduction

  1. Good evening everyone. I am very happy to be here today and to be in this very new auditorium at SIT. Wishing everyone a happy new year and happy 2026.

  2. My heartiest congratulations to the 119 Student Volunteers who will be receiving your awards and Certificates of Merit later.

  3. The Student Volunteer Recognition Programme (SVRP)was launched in 2019 to recognise youth volunteers who have contributed meaningfully to strengthening Singapore’s cybersecurity.

  4. I am heartened that this year’s SVRP has achieved a new milestone – a record of 23 Gold Award recipients, and an outstanding 94.4% success rate across all nominations.

  5. From August 2024 to end-July 2025, the Gold Award recipients alone contributed over 8,000 hours collectively, averaging 347 hours per individual. This accomplishment is truly remarkable, particularly given the demands of balancing academic responsibilities alongside other commitments.

  6. I was also impressed by the breadth of activities that our youth volunteers are involved in; from supporting Digital for Life community events that promote digital literacy for our seniors, to running peer tutoring programmes for your fellow first year cybersecurity students, and participating in technical competitions such as the Lag and Crash Inter-Poly Capture-The-Flag competition.

  7. Your efforts remind us that cybersecurity is not about technology. At heart, it is about service to the community.

  8. Among our award recipients tonight is Ms Zara Teo from Singapore Management University. She is a Gold Award winner, this year’s Valedictorian, and a finalist in The Cybersecurity Awards 2025 Student Category.

  9. As the Community Lead of N0H4TS, Zara organised over 20 inclusive meetups with cybersecurity experts and enthusiasts, competed actively in Capture-the Flag competitions, and championed accessible education and greater representation in the field. Her journey exemplifies how leadership, inclusivity and technical excellence can go hand in hand.

Partnership with Singapore Institute of Technology

  1. These individual success stories reflect a broader trend of collaboration and partnership that strengthens our cybersecurity ecosystem.

  2. This evening, I am pleased to share that AiSP will be signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with SIT. This MOU establishes a formal framework for collaboration, professional development, and knowledge exchange for SIT students and staff.

  3. This partnership will strengthen the cybersecurity ecosystem, especially here in Punggol Digital District.

  4. Earlier this afternoon, the SIT cybersecurity club, CYBERH4TS, co-organised a hands-on technical workshop with AiSP, providing full-time students with practical exposure to both offensive and defensive strategies to manage cyber threats. This is an example of how industry and academia come together to prepare students for real-world cyber challenges.

Conclusion

  1. Congratulations again to the SVRP team, the student volunteers, and all those who have been part of this journey.

  2. Together, we are nurturing a new generation of cybersecurity leaders who will fortify a more secure and resilient digital future for Singapore. Thank you, my warmest congratulations once again.