CyberSecPro brings together 14 European Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and 13 cybersecurity companies to bridge the gap between academic education and industry needs in cybersecurity. The project aims to equip the cybersecurity workforce with the practical, hands-on skills required to support the digital transformation of critical sectors such as maritime, health and energy. By developing a state-of-the-art, agile and practical training program, CyberSecPro will enhance the role of HEIs in fostering future-ready cybersecurity professionals. The training program will be designed to complement and advance existing academic curricula by integrating cutting-edge cybersecurity technologies, research and real-world applications. In doing so, CyberSecPro will set the standard for best practices in cybersecurity training and education across Europe.

CyberSecPro’s Project Objectives

• Enhance cybersecurity education and skills: Develop a hands-on training program to address the gap between academic learning and real-world cybersecurity skills. This program will focus on critical sectors such as maritime, health and energy, integrating both industry and academia to provide relevant and up-to-date training.

• Foster public-private partnerships for sustainable cybersecurity training: Establish strong collaborations between higher education institutions, cybersecurity companies and sectoral stakeholders to create a sustainable ecosystem for ongoing, practical cybersecurity education.

• Deploy cutting-edge technological tools for training: Introduce innovative training platforms, tools and environments to enhance cybersecurity education, ensuring that academic staff and students gain experience with the latest cybersecurity technologies and industry practices.

• Develop market-oriented, adaptable learning models: Create a flexible training program that includes various learning formats such as hands-on exercises, hackathons and sector-specific seminars. The program will continuously adapt to the evolving needs of the cybersecurity industry.

• Operate and evaluate the CyberSecPro training program: Deliver the CyberSecPro training modules across EU academic institutions, evaluating their effectiveness based on real-world performance and feedback to ensure continuous improvement and relevance.

• Establish CyberSecPro as a best practice certification model: Propose a certification scheme for practical cybersecurity training that aligns with EU standards, positioning CyberSecPro as a model for the future of cybersecurity education across Europe.

ITML’s Role in CyberSecPro

ITML is leading the assessment of technological tools and academic training programs within the project. This task involves evaluating the technologies introduced by partners to ensure their suitability as teaching instruments. The outcome is a comprehensive catalogue of the technologies used in the CyberSecPro program, which supports the development of effective, industry-aligned educational modules. Through this contribution, ITML ensure that the training tools and resources used are both innovative and aligned with the needs of the digital economy.

For more information, visit the official project website: https://www.cybersecpro-project.eu/

Acknowledgment

The project CyberSecPro has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme under the Grant Agreement No. 101083594.