• Stellenbosch University and the Hague Centre of Strategic Studies have announced the launch of a Cyber Security School.
• A pilot phase will be opened in March 2024 with the course being aimed at young professionals and honours students.
• The Cyber Security School will be a free online course with coursework that includes real problems faced by government and private companies.

Throughout August we highlighted the importance of cybersecurity and how essential it is to invest in the skills needed to fight a wave of digital crime.

This week, Stellenbosch University (SU) together with The Hague Centre of Strategic Studies (HCSS) announced the imminent launch of the Cyber Security School.

Driven by Professor Bruce Watson, chair of the Centre for AI Research and Chair for Computational Thinking at the School for Data Science and Computational Thinking at SU together with Noëlle van der Waag-Cowling also from the Centre for AI Research, the Cyber Security School will start taking in students in March 2024.

The school will bring together experts from other educational institutions and from the private sector to give students up-to-date and relevant guidance from the cybersecurity sector.

“In today’s world, where threats know no borders, international cooperation is paramount. It allows nations to pool their resources, share expertise, and establish the legal frameworks needed to combat cyber threats. It is a recognition that security is a collective responsibility, and we must work together to maintain peace and stability in an ever-evolving digital landscape,” Vice-Chancellor and Rector at SU, Professor Wim de Villier said in a statement.

The Cyber Security School will take the form of an online course that will be available for free as part of the pilot phase in 2024. The course is aimed at honours students and young professionals with an interest in cybersecurity. The course will include challenges set by government agencies and companies to give students a taste of solving real-world problems. Upon completion of the course, students will receive a cybersecurity studies qualification.

“Building a high-level cybersecurity workforce in Southern Africa is not just a goal; it is a strategic imperative. It is an investment in our future, one that will support economic growth, protect critical infrastructure, enhance national security, and promote digital inclusion. By prioritising cybersecurity education and training, we can unlock the digital dividends and ensure a more secure and prosperous future for our region,” De Villiers concluded.

There is – at time of writing – no information for applying to join this Cyber Security School. We will be keeping an ear out for more about when the course begins in March 2024 but until then we recommend keeping an eye on the SU website here.

[Image – Emmanuel Edward on Unsplash]