The Cyberwise Cyber Security Shared Learning Day, held at UCD on April 25th, brought together around 250 students and their teachers from over 20 secondary schools nationwide, showcasing the vital role of cybersecurity in our digital age. The event was a dynamic demonstration of cybersecurity projects and educational initiatives, with a comprehensive agenda designed to immerse participants in cyber safety and foster digital technology skills from leading experts in the field.
Ossian Smyth, Minister of State in the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC), launched the event and met with students who showcased what they had learned from the DECC-funded junior cycle cybersecurity short course, an initiative aimed at cultivating foundational cybersecurity skills among young learners.
ADAPT academics at UCD, Dr Rob Brennan of the School of Computer Science and Dr Tijana Milosevic from the School of Information and Communications Studies, facilitated a workshop on the AI in My Life transition year module. This workshop aimed to enhance teachers’ understanding of artificial intelligence applications in cybersecurity. Their involvement reflects ADAPT’s commitment to pioneering AI-driven digital content technologies and education.
The event was organised by Dr Rachel Farrell, Associate Professor in the UCD School of Education along with Dr. Brennan and other members of the School of Computer Science at UCD. Both Dr Farrell and Dr Brennan also provided updates on the DECC-funded Cybersecurity Junior Cycle Short Course and the SFI-funded project “Busting Gender Bias in Computer Science and Cybersecurity.”
The event concluded with an awards presentation where students were recognised for their projects and contributions to cybersecurity. Overall the Cyberwise Security Shared Learning Day highlighted the critical importance of cybersecurity awareness and demonstrated the ongoing efforts to integrate this knowledge into the educational curriculum across Ireland.
