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I/O Magazine > October 2020

Another great example of community building is the research agenda reflected more in cybersecurity educa-
Capture the Flag event “Challenge the Cyber” which tion. ‘Both higher professional education and university
dcypher co-organised. It’s a hacking competition education have a number of wonderful cybersecurity
for students from universities and high schools that courses, some mainly technical, others with a mixture
was organised for the first time in 2019. Poll: ‘Thanks of a technical orientation and an orientation from
to this event I have now more contacts with other the humanities and behavioural sciences. But on the
educators in higher education. It’s a great initiative whole, I think that the behavioural sciences and the
that also stimulates cooperation.’ humanities should be given an even greater role in
cybersecurity education.’
Before the advent of dcypher, cybersecurity was mainly
seen as a technical topic. dcypher changed that. Poll:
‘The latest version of the research agenda emphasises
that cybersecurity is not just a technical subject, but Erik Poll:
a multidisciplinary subject that also requires lawyers,
economists, psychologists and organizational experts, ‘The cybersecurity
for example.’
field is much more
These experts can investigate questions such as: What united than it used
drives cyber criminals? How does their organisation to be’
work? Which cybersecurity standards are needed?
What laws and regulations are required? How can
the behaviour of IT users be changed effectively to
reduce cybercrime?

Education agenda Given the mission of dcypher, a lot has been achieved
Professor of Cybersecurity Governance Bibi van den in a short time, says Van den Berg. But if she has to
Berg of Leiden University, who is also a member of mention one aspect that has been less successful,
the Cybersecurity Council, has worked hard in recent then it is the valorisation of cybersecurity research.
years on setting up cybersecurity education. She ‘The bond between science and industry has become
is particularly pleased that dcypher, after initially stronger through dcypher, but there are still not
focusing on cybersecurity research, has drawn up many ideas from science that connect seamlessly
a cybersecurity education agenda in the last eigh teen with industry and vice versa. We can do better there.’
months. Van den Berg: ‘That is a great piece of Poll had hoped that dcypher could have secured
work that shows where the needs in cybersecurity long-term, structural research funding, but unfortu-
education lie. And it runs from primary education nately that did not work out. ‘The problem here is
to post-university education. Before the arrival of that cybersecurity cuts across various ministries
dcypher, we had little insight into how cybersecurity and that each ministry is an individual compartment.’
education in the Netherlands was organised.’ Van den Berg agrees that this compartmentalisation
is an obstacle: ‘Both our research and education
The cybersecurity education agenda is in line with the agendas are deliberately integrated and broad. But
analysis that the Netherlands is training too few skilled then things go wrong in terms of financing within a
cybersecurity professionals and that a lot of talent is compartmentalized ministerial landscape. We have
leaving and going abroad. Erik Poll has personally to find a solution for this.’
seen the brain drain happen a number of times: ‘We
see young researchers leaving for Germany or the UK,
where there is more money for research. We asked Delta Commissioner
a former PhD student of ours, who now works in the Van den Berg sees an opportunity in appointing a
UK, to become a professor in the Netherlands. But he kind of Delta Commissioner for cybersecurity, or
replied that he could get better funding for his research setting up an umbrella body that falls under the
in the UK and therefore did not want to return.’ Ministry of General Affairs. ‘Then you can say: this
is our leading cybersecurity agenda, this ministry is
Van den Berg is pleased that the research agenda aims about this part and that ministry is about that part.
to increase attention for cybersecurity throughout the We are now making one large multi-year plan with
entire education chain. ‘We currently have a massive that much budget. However, my most important
shortage of well-trained teachers. We can only turn lesson for the future is: embrace the current dcypher
that tide by starting early in education. We can already research and education agendas and do not let the
teach children that cybersecurity is a relevant societal networks and collaborations that have been carefully
theme, that you can do exciting things in it and also built up go to waste. Whatever platform comes after
get a nice, good job.’ Van den Berg would also like dcypher, that should be its main mission.’ Poll agrees
to see the multidisciplinary character of dcypher’s with van den Berg’s conclusion, adding one final,

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