Smart Card Alliance opens new facility, Gabon taps Gemalto
04 February, 2016
category: Biometrics, Corporate, Digital ID, Government, Smart Cards
Smart Card Alliance opens training, education center
The Smart Card Alliance announced the opening of the National Center for Advanced Payments and Identity Security, a new training center in Crystal City, Va. The center will be a permanent facility for live, interactive and educational activities hosted by the Smart Card Alliance, including workshops, educational courses, briefings, symposiums, and training and certification testing for the Certified Smart Card Industry Program (CSCIP) and Certified System Engineer ICAM PACS Training and Certification Program (CSEIP).
The National Center for Advanced Payments and Identity Security is located in Crystal City, just outside of Washington DC at 2900 Crystal Drive in Arlington. Educational programs will be available to both Smart Card Alliance members and non-members.
The center has been established through a grant from Heartland Payments Systems to support the mission of better protecting consumers’ privacy, and advance the security of payments and identity through education programs on best industry practices and advances in security technology.
The activities of the Smart Card Alliance Educational Institute, which conducts educational workshops at alliance events, will now become part of the National Center for Advanced Payments and Identity Security. In addition to being held at Smart Card Alliance conferences, the following training and certification exam sessions will be held at the new training facility:
- CSCIP – a program that recognizes professionals who undergo training to gain advanced levels of technical knowledge and understanding of usage models for the smart card industry
- CSCIP/Payments – an extension of CSCIP training that recognizes professionals who undergo training to gain advanced knowledge of payments usage models for the smart card industry
- CSCIP/Government – an extension of CSCIP training that recognizes professionals who undergo training to gain advanced knowledge of government-related identity and security usage models for the smart card industry
- CSEIP – a program that provides advanced training for integration engineers on how to set up and test E-PACS to align with mandated certifications required under the federal government’s physical access control system procurement specifications
Gemalto supplying Gabon with border, visa management system
Gemalto has been selected as solution provider by Gabon’s Department of Homeland Security DGDI to supply and implement an integrated border and visa management system. The new scheme is designed to strengthen national security, improve operational efficiency and enhance the traveling experience for people entering and leaving the Central African state.
The visa management system aims to simplify and speed the issuance of visas, e-Visas and resident’s permits. This suite of applications was used to create Gabon’s e-Visa portal service in July enabling visitors to use the Internet to apply for a visa to enter the country. Once the Electronic Travel Authorization is delivered, the visa is issued at Libreville International Airport upon arrival.
The solution is built around the centralized, back-office Coesys Visa and Border Management System. This supports automation of queries to databases – such as Interpol’s – that alert authorities to potential threats and risks. In addition, the Automated Border Control kiosks now offer travelers rapid, ‘self-service’ passport checks at the country’s main airport which handles around one million passengers annually.
The Border Intelligence module uses the data mined at the border. It offers investigation tools for discovering new risk patterns, with a highly intuitive “clicking” process. Its reporting app also provides valuable information to drive tourism and prioritize national investment efforts.