Standardisation and cybersecurity education share common ground. The “Standards Unboxed” event in Nicosia, Cyprus brought this connection into focus and provided a meaningful platform for EU‑iNSPIRE to share its vision with students, researchers, and professionals from across the ecosystem.

Co‑organised by the Cyprus Organization for Standardization (CYS) and the KIOS Research and Innovation Center of Excellence at the University of Cyprus, the “Standards Unboxed” event was held within the framework of the EU Horizon Europe project EDU4Standards. The event brought together students, researchers, academics, and professionals in an open and engaging dialogue around the strategic importance of standardisation in supporting innovation, competitiveness, and technological progress.

As the need for interoperability, security, and trust becomes increasingly critical in digital environments, standardisation is emerging as a key enabler of innovation, ensuring that new technologies can be safely adopted and scaled across markets. Events such as this one play an important role in making this dimension visible, particularly to the next generation of professionals who will be tasked with designing and securing Europe’s digital infrastructure.

Within this context, the EU‑iNSPIRE project was presented by Dr. Stefanos Gurov from CYS, who introduced participants to the project’s mission and its multidisciplinary approach to cybersecurity education in Europe, bringing together technical, organisational, and policy perspectives with a strong focus on upskilling and reskilling.

Dr. Gurov’s presentation highlighted how standardisation is not an external layer added on top of cybersecurity education, but standards are naturally embedded in the project’s educational approach, helping learners understand how European and international frameworks shape secure and trustworthy digital systems. By linking standards, regulation, and everyday cybersecurity practice, the discussion made clear how standardisation helps turn knowledge into practical, industry‑ready skills.  

👉 Stay tuned for more updates on EU-iNSPIRE activities and upcoming events across Europe.