Palo Alto Networks partners with Australian app Quitch for gamified cybersecurity training

Security vendor Palo Alto Networks has partnered with Australian mobile learning platform Quitch for interactive cybersecurity training modules designed to make education in the field more engaging and accessible through gamified microlearning.

The collaboration between the two combines Palo Alto Networks' cybersecurity expertise with Quitch's research-backed learning methodology.

This uses spaced repetition principles to enhance information retention and combat the natural tendency to forget information over time.

"We have a responsibility to make cybersecurity knowledge more accessible to everyone," Lisa Sim, program director of CyberFit Nation at Palo Alto Networks, said.

CyberFit Nation is a free online educational program with workshops tailored to suit everyone from board directors to school children launched by Palo Alto Networks in Australia and New Zealand in 2022.

"This partnership with Quitch enables us to deliver engaging, impactful training to a broader audience, helping more people stay safe in an increasingly digital world," Sim said.

The bite-sized learning modules are built around spaced repetition learning, a scientifically backed methodology that improves how people retain and recall information through active practice.

Quitch was developed in 2016 and has supported learners across schools, universities, professional associations and corporations worldwide in subjects including accounting, finance and psychology.

"Quitch uses an evidence-based approach to commit key information to long-term memory through the practice of active recall, which we've refined with every learning journey completed on the platform," professor Grainne Oates, chief executive and founder of Quitch said.

"I can think of no better application for this learning methodology than cybersecurity, and it's been a fascinating and eye-opening experience working with the experts at Palo Alto Networks."

The first five modules launching on Quitch will focus on 'Introduction to Cybersecurity Essentials' and will be available free to all learners.

Swinburne University of Technology played an important role in Quitch's development through both direct investment via Swinburne Ventures Limited and its innovation ecosystem, with Professor Oates serving as both a Swinburne professor and alumna.

Auckland University of Technology (AUT) Business School has already begun offering the course to students.

"This one-hour, industry-led course delivers exactly what today's graduates need — practical, foundational knowledge in cyber awareness," AUT director of business undergraduate programs Dr Geri Harris said.

Students completing the course receive an Industry Certificate, providing recognised skills that align with employer expectations in an increasingly digital workplace.