Training Cybersecurity Skills through Advanced Higher Education Joint Programmes

ongoing

The present proposal is originated by a consortium originally formed within the European University Alliance ARQUS, with the addition of five SMEs and a Research Centre, all of them covering four different European countries and with a high level of expertise in the field of cybersecurity. It aims to train professionals in this field through the following initiatives: (a) a joint European Master in cybersecurity with a mobility path along the four universities; (b) a MOOC in cybersecurity aiming at training a minimum of 800 students from non-ICT sectors in each edition; (c) a scholarship programme to attract highly qualified students; (d) a programme of agreements and incentives to attract faculty, companies and research centres and generate synergies; and (e) the acquisition of key technological infrastructure for support of the programmes. The two training activities (Master and MOOC) have been developed taking into account the main frameworks and recommendations for the development of professional training plans in the field of cybersecurity, such as NICE (National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education) from NIST in the USA or the Joint Task Force (JTF) on cybersecurity, involving ACM, IEEE and other reference organizations. This adaptation of the training initiatives to the actual demands will guarantee an accurate impact in the European and global labour market. Finally, the proposal foresees a dissemination plan that ensures the impact of the proposed activities, mainly based on the celebration of a research conference, a programme of agreements with companies and organizations in the cybersecurity sector, a programme of grants for internships and research stays, and a set of initiatives for the dissemination of the training activities promoted by the members of the consortium.