Cybersecurity Education Initiatives in the EU Member States

• October 31, 2023
• Andrew

In line with the European Cybersecurity Act, ENISA has the mission to focus its efforts in supporting cybersecurity in all levels of education in the Member States. In this context, ENISA has a mandate to support closer coordination and exchange of best practices among Member States on cybersecurity awareness and education.

Nowadays, the internet is a tool used in many educational activities, which increases the amount of time children are exposed to the risks of cyberspace. Informing young users about the importance of maintaining personal privacy is not enough to keep them vigilant when using the internet: more proactive training is required to teach children to be safe online.

Member States have made efforts to raise cybersecurity awareness among their population through initiatives targeting different age groups of users. With regard to children, the Safer Internet Centers initiative, co-funded by the European Commission, have proven to be the main drivers of the majority of initiatives at the national level and have served as a forum for cooperation and exchange of resources.

The objective of this report is to present an overview of the Member States’ best practices when implementing cybersecurity education initiatives – targeting primary and secondary schools – as well as the challenges faced by the interviewed stakeholders when carrying out the activities. The aim is to identify the needs and gaps regarding cybersecurity education and determine how ENISA can provide additional support to the Member States.