As the University of Technology (UTech) gets ready to stage its International Data Protection Symposium on Tuesday (January 28), president Dr Kevin Brown has indicated that the institution is committed to promoting and educating the public about data privacy. 

Commenting on the relevance and timeliness of the event which will coincide with the global celebration of Data Privacy Day 2025, Brown said, “The university is pleased to host this important forum as data privacy requires much attention in this fast-paced information-sharing era.”

Brown also noted that “As the island’s national STEM university, we are committed to tackling critical societal challenges, including safeguarding individuals’ privacy and strengthening public trust”.

“Through this convening of experts and stakeholders, the International Data Protection Symposium serves as a catalyst for innovative solutions and informed practices,” he added.

He emphasised that the event highlights the university’s dedication to advancing knowledge and delivering impactful outcomes for government, industries, and communities.

UTech, Jamaica’s International Data Protection Symposium will be hosted at the Papine campus from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm under the theme ‘Your Privacy Programme and You: Bridging the Gap, Navigating the Next Steps in Data Privacy‘.

The event aims to spread awareness about the importance of safeguarding data for both data controllers and data subjects across all sectors. It will bring together global leaders from government agencies, academia, public and private sector organisations to share insights and strategies for building robust and sustainable programmes under the Data Protection Act 2020.

Dr Nadine Maitland and Andray Lawrence, lead organisers for the UTech International Data Protection Symposium, shared that the event is specifically targeted at data protection officers, government agencies and business leaders, but that registration is also open to the public.

Key among the highlights for UTech’s data symposium will be an international guest presentation by renowned data privacy expert Bob Siegel, president of Privacy Ref, as well as by Jamaica’s very own Information Commissioner Celia Barclay.

Winnie Berry, deputy chief education officer in the Curriculum and Support Services Division at the Ministry of Education is also slated to bring remarks.

Thought leaders will also share their perspectives and valuable lessons on data audits and breach management for data controllers and privacy professionals during a panel discussion. Siegel, along with Godfrey Sterling, director of the Jamaica Cyber Incident Response Team (JACIRT) in the Office of the Prime Minister; Dr Patrick Anglin, data protection officer at the University of the West Indies; as well as organisers Maitland and Lawrence will be among the panellists.

The symposium is the latest initiative coming out of UTech in support of the government’s thrust to promote awareness of the Data Protection Act 2020.

The university in partnership with e-Learning Jamaica spearheaded the training of the first cohort of data protection officers within the education sector in 2023. This consisted of over 100 individuals from primary and secondary schools who were certified as data protection officers for their respective institutions.