Google.org Cybersecurity Seminars
We are teaming up with Google.org to offer more and better learning and job opportunities in cybersecurity to students at universities in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
About
Students taking part in the Cybersecurity Seminars will get to put what they learn into practice, which will not only advance their skills but also positively affect the communities around them.
They’ll do this by working on real security projects, receiving guidance from mentors, and competing in competitions that challenge them to solve security problems.
We have teamed up with Google.org up to improve cybersecurity education at selected universities across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. This effort is about giving students who are interested in cybersecurity more chances to learn and build careers in this fast-changing area. The partnership will help these universities teach a fuller range of cybersecurity subjects, covering everything from foundational concepts to advanced strategies for combating cyber threats.
Students taking part will learn by applying their classroom skills in real-life situations. This can include doing internships where they can work in the field, getting tips and networking with professional cybersecurity mentors, and taking part in hackathons, which challenge them to come up with solutions to actual security problems while working with others and sharing ideas.
Through this innovative mix of theory and practice, Google.org and Virtual Routes aspire to cultivate a new generation of cybersecurity experts ready to tackle the complex challenges faced by digital economies and societies.
How It Works
Selected universities across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa will receive up to $1 million in funds and access to Google’s technology and expertise. They’ll also receive educational materials and guidance from Virtual Routes.
Who we Support
This program supports selected higher education institutions across Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Higher education institutions that are not universities can take part, as long as their primary purpose is education and most of their courses are available to the general public. Examples of such higher education institutions include polytechnic institutes, professional or vocational colleges, or military or diplomatic academies.
All supported institutions – universities or other higher education institutions – must be nonprofits.
PARTICIPATING UNIVERSITIES
Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan (PL)
The Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poland (AMU) was founded in 1919 and carries out its fundamental and unchanging mission which is to conduct research, educate students and new academic staff on the basis of research as well as to exercise its social responsibilities.
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (GR)
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh) is the largest University in Greece covering all disciplines.
Drohobych Ivan Franko State Pedagogical University (UA)
Drohobych Ivan Franko State Pedagogical University, established in 1940, is one of the leading educational and research pedagogical institutions in Western Ukraine.
ESIEA, Ecole superieure d’informatique, electronique, automatique (FR)
ESIEA, founded in 1958, is a French graduate school of engineering for computer sciences. Operated as a non-profit association under French Law 1901 and governed by its alumni, it is the only school in France run by graduates.
Grenoble INP – Esisar (FR)
Grenoble INP - Esisar is part of Grenoble INP, Graduate schools of Engineering and Management, Université Grenoble Alpes.
Khalifa University (UAE)
Khalifa University of Science and Technology, the UAE’s top-ranked research-intensive institution, fo- cuses on developing world leaders and critical thinkers in science, engineering and health science.
Masaryk University (CZ)
Masaryk University, established in 1919, is one of the largest and leading research-driven universities in the Czech Republic, with over 30,000 students across 10 faculties.
Nelson Mandela University (ZA)
The Nelson Mandela University (NMU) was established on 1 January 2005 as a result of a merger between three former institutions. On 20 July 2017, it was officially renamed Nelson Mandela University (NMU).
Riga Technical University (LV)
RTU is a modern internationally recognized university. It is the only polytechnic university in Latvia and the largest university in the country – it educates and trains almost 15 thousand students.
Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv (UA)
Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv is the top research university in Ukraine. It has a long history of development and growth from 1834, where it was founded.
Technical University of Cluj-Napoca (RO)
The Technical University of Cluj-Napoca (TUCN) is an "Advanced Research and Education" institution recognized nationally and internationally.
Technical University of Munich (DE)
Technical University of Munich (TUM) is one of Europe’s leading research universities, known for its excellence in science, technology, engineering, and business.
Transilvania University of Brasov & University of West Timisoara (RO)
Transilvania University of Brașov (UNITBV) is the largest university in the centre of Romania; it is a comprehensive university that offers study programmes in 43 domains.
University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome (IT)
The Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, established in 1993, places technological innovation and the value of the individual at the core of its mission.
University of Milan & Fondazione Mondo Digitale (IT)
The University of Milan (Università degli Studi di Milano), known colloquially as UniMi or Statale, is a higher education institution in Milan, Italy.
University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg Business School (ZA)
The University of Johannesburg (UJ) is a leading African institution committed to innovation and societal impact.
University of Luxembourg (LU)
The University of Luxembourg (Uni.lu) was founded in 2003. It is international and multilingual, ranked 20th in the Young University Ranking 2024 and among the top 250 universities worldwide.
University of Malaga (ES)
Two primary objectives of the University of Málaga are to provide “quality teaching” and to strengthen research and technological development.
Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (LT)
Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (VILNIUS TECH) is a prestigious and international European technical university, distinguished by the quality of its studies and research, its impact on the individual, the community and society.
Warsaw University of Technology (PL)
Warsaw University of Technology builds upon the traditions of Polish technical universities that used to function in Warsaw – the Polytechnic Institute founded in 1826 thanks to the efforts of Stanisław Staszic and the School of Hipolit Wawelberg and Stanisław Rotwand established in 1895.
News & Publications
Virtual Routes contributes to REMIT annual meeting in Brussels
Virtual Routes continued its central contribution to the Horizon Europe project on Reigniting Multilateralism Through Technology (REMIT) at its annual meeting in Brussels, on 12 and 13 February.
Max Smeets speaks at the MSC side-event on the Opportunities and Risks of AI for Peace and War
The event was co-organized with the Bavarian Scientific Alliance for Peace, Conflict and Security. The Alliance is a collaboration of currently nine universities in Bavaria, funded by the Bavarian government, that aims to join academic forces in peace and conflict research and strengthen ties to political and civil society actors.
The AI-Cybersecurity Essay Prize Competition: Winning Essays Out Now
It’s time! Binding Hook, the media outlet part of Virtual Routes, and the Munich Security Conference (MSC) are pleased to share the winning essays from the AI-Cybersecurity Essay Prize Competition.
Binding Hook Contributor Cards: A Thank You and Welcome to the Community
In January, the Binding Hook team sent out their very first collection of Contributor Cards, thanking the authors for their contribution to the platform over the past year.
A Wider Reach for Cybersecurity Seminars: Virtual Routes to expand program to New Regions with support from Google.org
Today marks an exciting development in the effort to improve global cybersecurity education: the Google.org Cybersecurity Seminar program has expanded its reach beyond Europe to include higher education institutions across the Middle East and Africa.
Virtual Routes Colloquium – Spring/Summer session calendar out now
Virtual Routes Colloquium is back with a brilliant lineup of speakers for the spring session (February-May 2025) calendar! This year, the sessions focus on power and control in cyberspace.
Virtual Routes Co-Director James Shires attends the launch of Google.org Cybersecurity Seminars in Poland
Senior representatives from the two participating universities - Warsaw University of Technology and Adam Mickiewicz University - officially started their programs, aiming to provide practical cybersecurity education to students and impactful cybersecurity assistance to local communities.
Launching the Ransomware Countermeasures Tracker
We are excited to announce the Ransomware Countermeasures Tracker, a resource created to identify trends in government actions against ransomware, highlight areas where we see more or less activity, and establish a baseline of awareness that can support future analyses of government effectiveness.
Merle Maigre joins Virtual Routes as Fellowship Senior Advisor
Merle Maigre is the Programme Director of Cybersecurity at Estonia’s e-Governance Academy. Previously she was Executive Vice President for Government Relations at CybExer Technologies, an Estonian company that provides cyber range based trainings.
Virtual Routes at the 2024 Internet Governance Forum
In December 2024, Virtual Routes co-organised two sessions at the United Nations Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI).
Featured in
Resources
Cybersecurity and AI Readings Portal
We created a readings portal that serves as a guide to help instructors decide which readings to include on your syllabi. The curated lists are sourced from public syllabi of top universities across the world. The readings are organized into categories to make it easier for instructors to find relevant material for your courses.
A Guide on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in Cybersecurity Education
This guide provides an overview of best practices for incorporating equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) into practical cybersecurity education, especially in the Google.org Cybersecurity Seminars program.
An Analysis of Cybersecurity Education Programs in Europe: Key Findings
This report presents key findings from an initial assessment of cybersecurity educational programs in seven European countries: the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Poland, Romania, and Ukraine. These countries were chosen because they are all participants in the open call for the Google.org Cybersecurity Seminars program.
Managing the Challenges of AI Detection in Academia
This report, researched during summer 2024, examines the increased use of AI chatbots in academia following the launch of ChatGPT in 2022 and the response by educational institutions through AI detection tools.
Local Community Organization (LCO) Engagement Guide
This guide provides best practices for higher education institutions when engaging with Local Community Organizations (LCOs) in practical cybersecurity education, especially as part of the Google.org Cybersecurity Seminars.
