We are pleased to welcome Jean-Pierre Bonnet, who joins the Western Balkans Cyber Capacity Centre (WB3C) as a trainer working primarily in the field of cybercrime, while also contributing to the Centre’s cybersecurity activities.

Jean-Pierre began his career in the French Gendarmerie, initially serving in a mobile unit responsible for public-order operations and overseas deployments. He later moved into criminal investigations, progressively specialising in cybercrime-related fields and, in his most recent assignment, working on complex investigations across France.

His professional experience includes open-source intelligence (OSINT), digital forensics and Internet investigations, alongside training and knowledge-sharing with partner administrations in France. He is also completing a long-term professional training programme in cybersecurity and governance, further broadening the expertise he brings to WB3C.

At the Centre, Jean-Pierre will work with partners across the Western Balkans to support the development of skills and operational knowledge in cybercrime, while contributing with the wider team to the continued development of WB3C’s activities.

Welcome to the team, Jean-Pierre!

WB3C was pleased to meet with representatives of the EU CBRN Centres of Excellence Project 101 to discuss potential cooperation in strengthening critical infrastructure protection and security.
The exchange with Alexandre Custaud, EU CBRN CoE Project 101 Team Leader and Scott S. focused on possible synergies between cybersecurity, CBRN risk mitigation and broader critical infrastructure resilience. As threats to essential services become increasingly interconnected, cross-sector cooperation is essential to support more coordinated, practical, and future-oriented capacity building.
WB3C team Gilles Schwoerer and Maja Miranovic stressed that sectoral approach in building resilience for critical infrastructure is central in our 3-year EU funded programme and expressed readiness to explore areas where our respective expertise and regional engagement can contribute to stronger resilience and security.

When fourteen police investigators recently graduated from WB3C's Digital Forensics programme delivered in partnership with the University of Technology of Troyes (UTT), the public saw the final result: internationally recognised diplomas, successful thesis defences and a new generation of specialised cybercrime investigators.

Less visible was the work that took place behind the scenes to get there.

For fifteen months, participants balanced full-time operational duties with a university-level programme requiring approximately 1,400 hours of study. While continuing to investigate cybercrime cases and fulfil their professional responsibilities, they attended classes, completed practical assignments, conducted research and prepared professional theses.

As the programme entered its final stage, WB3C and UTT intensified their support to help participants navigate one of the most demanding parts of the academic journey: the preparation and defence of their final papers.

Participants received detailed guidance on thesis writing, academic standards and defence procedures applied by UTT. Following the submission of their papers, mentors conducted individual reviews and provided detailed feedback, recommendations and improvement points. Students then worked through revisions and refinements before receiving final confirmation that their work met the required academic standards.

Throughout this process, mentors remained available for consultations, questions and individual support, ensuring that participants could successfully bridge the gap between operational expertise and academic requirements.

The final result was more than a successful examination. It demonstrated the determination of investigators who committed to a demanding programme while remaining on active duty, and the value of sustained mentorship and international cooperation in building specialised cybercrime capabilities.

The graduation of all fourteen participants stands as a testament not only to their professional competence, but also to the perseverance required to complete a rigorous university programme alongside the realities of modern law enforcement work.