Gulf Business Machines (GBM), a leading regional digital solutions provider, has signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Arab Open University (AOU) to strengthen cybersecurity resilience and build digital trust across the region’s education sector.
Headquartered in Kuwait, AOU is a non-profit academic institution providing accessible blended learning across more than nine Arab countries. The new partnership, led by GBM Kuwait (Khorafi Business Machines – KBM), aims to safeguard AOU’s digital infrastructure amid a growing wave of sophisticated cyber threats targeting educational institutions.
At the core of the engagement is GBM’s proprietary COR. platform, an AI-powered cybersecurity suite delivering Managed Detection and Response (MDR) services, threat hunting, digital forensics, and strategic advisory. The vendor-neutral GBM Shield framework will offer AOU a comprehensive defense posture, with 24/7 threat monitoring and fast response capabilities designed to enhance operational resilience and mitigate cyber risks.
Professor Omar Al-Jarrah, Vice President for Planning and Development and CIO at AOU, said:
“Cybersecurity is more than a technical requirement—it’s a strategic pillar of our mission to provide secure, uninterrupted, and high-quality education. This partnership with GBM equips us to proactively defend our digital ecosystem, protecting both the academic journey and personal data of our students and faculty.”
Established in 2002, AOU Kuwait serves as the central hub for its regional network, offering programs in Business, IT, English, and Education, in collaboration with the UK’s Open University. This latest move underscores the university’s forward-looking commitment to digital security and innovation.
Wassim Seliman, General Manager of GBM Kuwait, emphasized the broader implications of the agreement:
“As education undergoes digital transformation, institutions must ensure robust protection for data, systems, and intellectual property. Our collaboration with AOU reflects our commitment to empowering academic institutions through intelligent, layered cybersecurity solutions tailored to modern learning environments.”
The initiative reinforces GBM’s leadership in cybersecurity across public sector institutions in Kuwait and beyond. It also signals the rising importance of embedding cyber resilience in the foundations of digital learning, ensuring safe, engaging, and future-proof educational experiences for the region’s students.
As digital education accelerates, this collaboration sets a precedent for how secure, smart partnerships can redefine the future of education in the Middle East.
