By KYIV. Nov 29 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Google has announced the launch of a $10 million cybersecurity seminar program to train students in cybersecurity in Europe, particularly in Ukraine.
“Last year, Europe experienced a shortage of up to 500,000 cybersecurity professionals. That’s why today, at the launch of the Google Safety Engineering Center in Malaga (Spain) – the new flagship cybersecurity hub for Europe – we are announcing the allocation of $10 million to improve cybersecurity training in Europe. This will also be Google’s contribution to the EU Cybersecurity Skills Academy, an initiative of the European Commission that aims to provide a more coordinated approach to addressing the cybersecurity talent gap,” the statement said.
Google notes that the program will be the first of its kind in Europe and will help local public organizations increase their level of online protection. The program offers universities a cybersecurity curriculum, allowing them to provide cybersecurity courses to students with no experience.
“To mark the launch of the program, Google.org will provide eight universities in eight different European countries, including Ukraine, with up to $1 million in funding, educational content and intensive training from the ECCRI CIC to help them implement cybersecurity workshops. Universities can already file applications. We expect more than 1,600 students to participate in the initial program. During the program, each university will be able to conduct at least two cybersecurity workshops over a two-year period,” the company said.
The program will also fund the European Cyber Conflict Research Incubator’s creation of training materials for universities, in particular the first flexible curriculum on cybersecurity, which offers an introductory overview of the topic and basic skills that can be used to support public organizations most vulnerable to cyber-attacks. The curriculum will be translated into eight European languages, including Ukrainian, English, and Spanish, and will be available free of charge for all educational institutions to use, along with comprehensive instructions for teachers.
