The European Cyber4CA project to strengthen cybersecurity training in Central Asia. The role of the TeCIP Institute of the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies

The increasing complexity of cybersecurity threats highlights the urgent need for highly qualified professionals with expertise in areas such as quantum cryptography, blockchain technologies, IoT security, artificial intelligence, and security operations. This is the main objective of the European Cyber4CA project, funded under the Erasmus+ programme, in which the TeCIP (Telecommunications, Informatics and Photonics) Institute of the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies is participating. Cyber4CA supports Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Central Asia in strengthening cybersecurity training and aligning academic programmes with technological, industrial and social developments.

The project's kick-off meeting was held in Uzbekistan in recent days, attended by a delegation from the Sant'Anna School.

The contribution of the School at the project

Within this international initiative, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna contributes its academic and research expertise and leads the work package on “Quality Assurance and Monitoring”, ensuring the consistency, effectiveness, and continuous improvement of project activities and outcomes. The Sant’Anna team is led by Prof. Luca Valcarenghi, as institutional coordinator, with Dr. Emilio Paolini serving as Vice-Coordinator.

To address the limited availability of specialized master’s programs in information security across the region, Cyber4CA promotes the creation of Cybersecurity Centres that will act as bridges between universities and the labor market, equipping students with practical, job-oriented skills.

Funded under the Erasmus+ programme, Cyber4CA brings together partners from Uzbekistan (UZ), Spain (ES), Romania (RO), Belgium (BE), Italy (IT), Kazakhstan (KZ), and Kyrgyzstan (KG), fostering international collaboration and the exchange of best practices in cybersecurity education.