Project

Developing Cyber Security Education and its Collaboration in Universities of Applied Sciences

Project sponsors

Project type
Strategic development project financed by MoE
Focus area
Applied Cybersecurity
Implementation time
1.4.2023 - 31.12.2025
Project unit
School of Technology
Financing program
Ministry of Education and Culture
Primary home page
https://jyvsectec.fi/2023/09/developing-cyber-security-education/
Project description

Cybersecurity education has been organized in higher education of Finland since 2013 in the form of degree programs. Over the decade, degree programs have been established in several universities of applied sciences across Finland. In addition to degree programs, universities of applied sciences offer cybersecurity courses in their open university offerings. Furthermore, higher education institutions undertake research and development projects on cybersecurity with various themes.

In this collaborative project involving fourteen universities of applied sciences, national cybersecurity competence requirements are standardized and recommended sector-specifically, for example, in the ICT sector, business administration, and social and health care. The project also examines the cybersecurity competency goals for every university of applied sciences student. Each university of applied sciences can implement these competency requirements as part of its own curriculum. Courses based on the new competency description are piloted during the project as part of the open university offering. The project also aims to bring cybersecurity research and development closer to the curriculum and ensure a model for distribution and quality assurance of studies.

Jamk University of Applied Sciences acts as the coordinator for the project. The following universities of applied sciences are participating in the project:

  • Jamk University of Applied Sciences
  • Centria University of Applied Sciences
  • Kajaani University of Applied Sciences
  • Karelia University of Applied Sciences
  • Lapland University of Applied Sciences
  • Laurea University of Applied Sciences
  • Metropolia University of Applied Sciences
  • Oulu University of Applied Sciences
  • Police University College
  • Savonia University of Applied Sciences
  • Tampere University of Applied Sciences
  • Turku University of Applied Sciences
  • Vaasa University of Applied Sciences
  • South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences
The project is part of the third point of Finland's cybersecurity strategy (2019): Development of Cyber Security Competence - Everyday Skills and Top Skills as Cyber Security Safeguards.

Immediate target groups

The immediate target groups of the project include Finnish universities of applied sciences and their personnel, as well as universities and other institutions of higher education, and their staff through collaboration in the project. In addition, the immediate target groups of the project include university students participating in the piloting of the produced study modules.

Indirect target groups

The project's activities indirectly target other university students as well as individuals in private and public organizations and their personnel. As an indirect benefit, students and organizational staff receive cybersecurity education either as part of their degree programs or through supplementary training. Additionally, citizens benefit from the project.


For more information:
Karo Saharinen, Ph.D.
Senior Lecturer
Phone: +358 50 410 4415
Email: [email protected]

(description updated on January 24, 2024)

Project results
Deliverables

Work Package 1 - Develop and increase the availability of cybersecurity study modules for students in various fields
  • D1.1 Every (university of applied sciences) Student's cybersecurity competency description
  • D1.2 Cybersecurity competency description for ICT students
  • D1.3 Cybersecurity competency description for engineering students
  • D1.4 Cybersecurity competency description for health and well-being students
  • D1.5 Cybersecurity competency description for trade and administration students
Work Package 2 - Increase the offering of cybersecurity studies for non-degree students
  • D2.1 Needs assessment (for cybersecurity training)
  • D2.2 Open study modules
  • D2.3 Prerequisite model
  • D2.4 Workshops (for teachers in target fields)
Work Package 3 - Consolidation of study offerings, integration of education into research, and international course offerings
  • D3.1 Distribution and quality assurance model for study modules developed in the project
  • D3.2 Collaboration with domestic universities and international actors
  • D3.3 Development and pilot of a model for continuous production of educational content from R&D projects


Work Package 4 - Assembly of a network for developing higher education in cybersecurity and project management
  • D4.1 Plan and agreement for the network developing cybersecurity education
  • D4.2 Implementation-related reporting
  • D4.3 Final report
  • D4.4 Communication materials
(Updated 24th of January, 2024)