A NATO-financed international event, entitled “Training, Research and Education for Cybersecurity of Critical Infrastructure,” was opened at Tbilisi State University with the participation of Georgian and foreign cybersecurity experts.

Over the course of seven days, leading cybersecurity experts from 18 countries, including Georgia, the United States, Canada, EU member states and NATO partner countries will deliver lectures and lead practical exercises to train participants in strengthening critical infrastructure and protecting against cyberattacks.

During the training, participants will learn about successful cybersecurity solutions and scientific and educational programs. Three working groups will be formed and joint research activities will be carried out.

TSU Deputy Rector, Professor Erekle Astakhishvili welcomed the conference participants, noting that “it is important for our country and the world as a whole to hold events of this nature. Current events show that courses and training in this area are necessary to prepare relevant personnel. TSU will do its best to promote the implementation of a cybersecurity program in academic and infrastructural terms in the near future. This is vitally important for the security and development of Georgia and the world, in general.”

The event aims to support partner countries in strengthening their capabilities and international cooperation in critical infrastructure research, education, and laboratory work. This includes considering the latest advances in artificial intelligence.

The event is being held as part of the NATO Science for Peace and Security Program’s Advanced Training Course (ATC). It is organized by the Polish National Center for Nuclear Research, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, and the Georgian Research and Educational Networking Association (GRENA).

Jacek Gajewski, the deputy director of the National Center for Nuclear Research in Poland, said that the training addresses the important issue of cybersecurity for critical infrastructure. He noted that an attack on this system could lead to the shutdown of the country’s infrastructure. “Many well-known experts from around the world are participating in the event. As a result of this workshop, a training program for universities in the field of cybersecurity will be developed, and a cybersecurity laboratory will be created to serve Georgia and NATO partner countries,” said Gajewski.

Currently, only a few Georgian universities offer bachelor’s degree programs in cybersecurity. Developing these curricula is essential to establishing a skilled workforce capable of managing and protecting critical infrastructure. In addition, creating physical laboratories and online platforms for cybersecurity research is crucial for program development, as well as for conducting research and analysis. This event will also identify specific project ideas and form working groups to develop project proposals.

“Cybersecurity is a very important challenge not only for our country, but also for the whole world. The goal of this event is to create a regional laboratory in cybersecurity, which will be used by different countries, and also to prepare training courses that will be taught at universities,” said Professor Ramaz Kvatadze, Executive Director at GRENA.