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.

The EU-iNSPIRE project continues to actively contribute to Europe’s innovation and education landscape by participating in key initiatives that strengthen the connection between research, industry, and policy.

In this context, EU-iNSPIRE will take part in the Academic Standards Days (ASD) in Nicosia, Cyprus, a European initiative dedicated to raising awareness around the role of standardisation in supporting innovation, competitiveness, and sustainable development.

Academic Standards Days are organised across Europe with the aim of engaging students, researchers, academics, and professionals in understanding how standards shape modern economies 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.

The event in Nicosia, taking place on 31 March 2026, will bring together stakeholders from across the ecosystem and will be hosted by the Cyprus Organisation for Standardisation (CYS) in collaboration with the KIOS Research and Innovation Center of Excellence. The programme will open with a plenary session highlighting the strategic role of standards in areas such as safety and security, international trade, innovation ecosystems, and sustainable development, setting the stage for a deeper exploration of how standardisation supports both technological advancement and economic growth.

EU-iNSPIRE will be represented through its partner ecosystem, contributing to discussions on the integration of standardisation within cybersecurity education and research. In particular, the project’s participation will focus on how academic knowledge and research outcomes can be effectively translated into scalable, market-ready solutions, reinforcing the importance of aligning education with industry needs and policy frameworks.

This participation reflects EU-iNSPIRE’s broader mission to strengthen Europe’s cybersecurity capacity by connecting education, research, and real-world application. By engaging with initiatives such as Academic Standards Days, the project contributes to the development of a new generation of professionals equipped not only with technical expertise but also with an understanding of the strategic role of standards in shaping secure and resilient digital systems.

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