Nurturing genius

Updated At : 06:31 AM Sep 09, 2015 IST

Tel Aviv University is Israel''s largest and most comprehensive university that offers cyber security courses taught in English

Pervin Malhotra

Q.We have a very bright five-year-old daughter. She can memorise things very quickly and is also very good at solving maths problems. What special training can we give her to make her a super achiever? Which IQ Test should she take? We would like to see her achieve as much fame and success as possible. — R Minhas

A.It must feel great to have such a bright child… less than one per cent of kids are truly gifted. However, there’s no need to give her any special attention.

Just leave her alone with plenty of colours, paper, pencils, toys and books. There are lots of graded math puzzles and enjoyable exercises on the Net that could help hone her math skills. And while you’re at it, you could perhaps try to expose her to as many new experiences, activities, stimuli and learning opportunities as possible so she can discover her real talent. Don’t force anything upon her at this point as it may hamper her growth or she may end up peaking too early. Also, I think it’s a little too early for an IQ or any other test. I’ve seen many precocious kids ending up confused and stressed out because of well-meaning but over-ambitious parents who vicariously inflict their aspirations on their offspring – with disastrous outcomes.

Courses in finance

Q.I am a final year student of BSc Statistics. I am good academically and would have loved to study further (MBA/MFC), but due to acute financial constraints, I have to look for work immediately after graduation. Please suggest something I can do in finance which will pay me decently and where I can continue to learn. Is there any other short course I can pursue to enhance my prospects of landing such a job? — Karunesh Tripathi

A.One excellent option that comes to mind is the CRISIL Certified Analyst Programme (CCAP). This is an intensive 2-year work-cum-study programme that will equip you to become a top-notch finance professional for various analyst roles in CRISIL and the industry at large. As a paid CRISIL employee, you will work on live projects, workshops and assignments. On the weekends, you will attend classes conducted by faculty from leading B-schools as well as experts from the industry and CRISIL. Upon successful completion of the programme, your salary will be increased to at least Rs 6 Lakh pa (+ performance-based variable pay). Graduates (55% agg) or final year students can apply online. The Application deadline was end-February this year, so do check their website(www.crisil.com/ccap) for the notification for next year (2016) Financial analysts extensively use computers and special software programmes to perform complex calculations and analysis. Now, while you don’t really need to learn any specific programming language, some familiarity with using a computer and spreadsheet software will certainly go a long way. And while this seems like an excellent option, you could of course scout for other similar possibilities. And do let me know when you spot any good ones which I could share with readers in this column.

Cyber security courses in Israel

Q. I have heard that Israel offers some good cyber security courses. Could you please help me out with some details regarding eligibility etc. — Umang Srivastava

A.Besides protecting websites from being hacked, Cyber security specialists also protect vital bank databases that hold financial information of millions of people, or military software that could cause huge destruction if it lands in the wrong hands. As the world becomes increasingly hi-tech, the role of cyber security professional is becoming extremely critical. Israel’s Ben Gurion University, Negev offers an MSc. in Information Systems with specialisation in Cyber Security (2-years) (taught in English)

The extensive course curriculum covers Cryptography, Network Security, Operation Systems Security, Detecting Attacks, System Security Engineering etc

I presume you have a degree in IT/Com Sc. They require a GPA of 80 (3.0) or above. Graduates of other fields of engineering may be accepted based on their GPA (should be higher than 85, 3.3). However, they’ll be required to complete several courses before starting the program. Factors such your work experience, are also taken into account. Details: www.in.bgu.ac.il

You could also check out Tel Aviv University’s new Blavatnik Interdisciplinary Cyber Research Center which works in collaboration with Israel’s National Cyber Bureau to provide solutions to the growing cyber threats on a national and international level. TAU also happens to be Israel's largest and most comprehensive university.

Despite some universities in Israel ranking among the Top 100 in the world, studying or living in Israel is relatively reasonable. This is great news for students. You can have a great time without breaking the bank. Also, most courses are taught in English, so you don’t necessarily have to be fluent in Hebrew.

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Nurturing genius

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