Acronis Hosts MEP Miriam Dalli – Leading Member of the European Parliament – to Discuss Cybercrime and how more girls can be encouraged to join the IT sector

Malta, 20 July 2018- Acronis, a global leader in cyber protection, announced today that it hosted Dr. Miriam Dalli, a prominent Member of the European Parliament (MEP), at its office in Malta to discuss efforts to fight cybercrime and promote cyber protection in the EU and countries such as Malta.

MEP Dr. Dalli has been very vocal in the European Parliament on issues relating to the protection of citizens in the cyber world. Acknowledging the extensive work that she has undertaken in the area of cyber protection, Acronis pledged to provide sufficient resources to assist her in developing policies for any of the forums in which she participates in the European Parliament.

Acronis and Dr. Dalli agreed that a more concerted effort is required amongst all stakeholders and that cooperation is needed in order to develop policies and strategies to combat cybercrime. Acronis' expertise and research have the potential to serve as a key factor in ensuring effective cyber protection across Europe.

Acronis and Dr. Dalli also discussed the need to create a platform with which young ICT experts can be trained to combat cybercrime, starting with pilot projects based at Acronis' R&D center in Malta. Acronis will provide IT experts in Malta with training, as well as access to its products, to ensure the country has the necessary capabilities to detect and defeat cybercrime.

To raise awareness of the need for cyber protection, Dr. Dalli is interested in supporting the Acronis Foundation, a European non-government organisation (NGO) dedicated to promoting knowledge around the world by building schools and increasing access to education in developing countries.

Together with MEP Dalli, Acronis and Acronis Foundation will collaborate to attract more girls and women in IT. One goal is to introduce training programmes specifically aimed at young girls. "It is important to create equal opportunities in IT for girls and women. With our joint initiative Acronis and my team will enable young aspiring talents to strive to their full potential in IT. The digital industry offers opportunities for both men and women but research shows that less girls are attracted to careers in IT," says Dr. Miriam Dalli.

"We have a common goal to make the digital world a safe place for everybody. We're excited to discuss these important issues with MEP Miriam Dalli and believe that we can make a great contribution to the efforts of the European Parliament to define effective standards for cyber protection," said John Zanni, President of Acronis.