CYBER CITIZEN

Cyber Citizen Initiative

  • Cyber Citizen Initiative:

  • Duration: 2022–2024

  • Funding: Five million euros from the EU recovery instrument for a three-year period

  • Commissioner: Finnish Ministry of Transport and Communications

  • Executor: Aalto University

The Cyber Citizen Initiative responds to the practical need for creating security culture in the human-centred digital environment. The initiative aims to develop a common, shared model for learning essential cybersecurity skills across the European Union for all Europeans. The model will strengthen European cybersecurity and produce common practices. Based on the model, a digital learning portal will be built. This portal will make use of a wide range of e-learning methods and will have content for different target groups. An integral part of the portal is a cybersecurity game that provides information and understanding in an entertaining way. Europeans’ abilities to act in a safe and secure manner in the digital world are improved with educational and communicative elements in the learning portal.

 

The Definition of Essential Cybersecurity Skills

In the first phase of the initiative, the current teaching methods, views, and materials of essential cybersecurity skills education and training in all the European Union member states were studied. This included national characteristics and requirements of the member states. Official EU policies were also reviewed. Additionally, a game analysis, an assessment of cybersecurity indices, and a scoping literature review were part of the research. The data used was gathered from a wide range of resources. The results of this qualitative research were published in an extensive research report.  As part of the report, the knowledge and skills that Europeans need in their daily lives were defined. For more information, check the research report ”Cyber Citizen Skills and Their Development in the European Union”.

Cybersecurity Involves Everyone

Everyone should have the essential cybersecurity skills. The development of security culture that is based on human competence and civilization should be strengthened with determination. All age groups have different levels of competence, from digital novices to digital gurus. The question is how to take different target groups into account.

Cybersecurity culture in the EU member states is currently being built. Creating and strengthening culture takes time, which is why it is essential to work with determination. For this reason, we urgently need actions such as the Cyber Citizen initiative. In time, we can elevate a shared understanding and extensive competence into common culture, which has great significance to the future of the whole of society and its citizens.