A European Network of Cybersecurity Skills Hubs is established to address the cybersecurity professional skills shortage in Europe

The European Network of Cybersecurity Skills Hubs (CyberHubs) project, coordinated by DIGITALEUROPE, aims to tackle the increasing demand for skilled cybersecurity professionals by establishing a network of seven Cybersecurity Skills Hubs in Belgium, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Lithuania, Slovenia, and Spain. Funded under the Erasmus+ Programme, the project involves 21 full partners across 11 European Member States and 3 associated partners.

Launched in February 2024, the CyberHubs project addresses critical cybersecurity professional skills shortages in Europe by identifying gaps and delivering tailored national strategies to bridge these gaps. The main challenges include the shortage of professionals, limited access to relevant education and training, lack of collaboration between academia and industry and rapidly evolving cybersecurity threats. The project focuses on raising awareness, fostering knowledge transfer, and building sustainable partnerships within the wider cybersecurity ecosystem.

Establishment of the seven national Cybersecurity Skills Hubs

The European Network of Cybersecurity Skills Hubs fosters the development of seven national hubs in Belgium, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Lithuania, Slovenia, and Spain. These hubs serve as centers of innovation and collaboration in the field of cybersecurity where academia, industry and public actors can connect at national level to promote cybersecurity skills development, innovation and entrepreneurship. Accordingly, the hubs will work together to identify market needs in cybersecurity skills and professional profiles, propose national strategies and actions to address the shortage of cybersecurity professional skills, and foster knowledge sharing. The development of these actions will take into account input from young people to ensure that CyberHubs meets their needs.

Facilitating knowledge exchange and collaboration

The CyberHubs project promotes knowledge exchange and best practices in the field of cybersecurity by fostering collaboration among education, research, and business sectors. A cybersecurity skills forecasting model will be developed to anticipate the demand and supply of cybersecurity skills and jobs. The collected information will support the education and training providers in developing high-quality cybersecurity education and training programs current with the job market’s demand. The project also facilitates knowledge sharing mechanisms among the seven cybersecurity skills hubs with the aim to strengthen transnational cooperation for cybersecurity skills development, create synergies and foster capacity to develop educational projects. A European cybersecurity hackathon will be organised for students and student entrepreneurs in due time to deepen their understanding of today’s challenges and contribute their ideas to address them.  

Furthermore, the European Cybersecurity Skills Framework (ECSF) is used as a reference point for skills and competencies to ensure activities align closely with recent EU-level progress and action in cybersecurity. The cutting-edge Skills Academy Platform provided by EIT Digital ensures efficient skill matching with job and learning opportunities.

Building a sustainable partnership of key European stakeholders within the cybersecurity sector

One of CyberHubs’ key objectives is to build a sustainable and resilient partnership across key European stakeholders in the field of cybersecurity. The project consortium brings together 21 full partners across 11 European Member States and 3 associated partners with a strong network of industry leaders, experts, researchers and policymakers. The seven cybersecurity skills hubs are also supported and mentored by so-called champion partners, Numeum in France and Cyber Ireland in Ireland. They present operational models, governance structures, and effective collaboration mechanisms with industry and academia.

The CyberHubs project represents a significant step towards addressing Europe’s cybersecurity professional skills shortage. By leveraging local expertise, fostering innovation, and promoting collaboration across sectors and borders, the project aims to build a resilient and skilled cybersecurity workforce capable of protecting Europe’s digital infrastructure now and in the future.

For more information, visit the CyberHubs website and subscribe to the newsletter. 

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