The First Generation of Digital Forensics Specialists Graduates at WB3C with International Diplomas

12.06.2026

Fourteen police investigators from five countries across the region obtained a university qualification in digital forensics and cybercrime investigations, while their institutions received specialised equipment worth €150,000.

Fourteen police investigators from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro and Serbia have successfully completed the first university-level Digital Forensics programme organised by the Western Balkans Cyber Capacity Centre (WB3C) in partnership with the University of Technology of Troyes (UTT), one of France's leading public higher education institutions in technology, engineering and cybersecurity.

The graduation ceremony marked the completion of an intensive educational programme that ran from February 2025 to May 2026, combining academic instruction, practical training, independent research and thesis development. The programme represents the first university qualification of its kind organised by WB3C and one of the region's most significant initiatives aimed at strengthening law enforcement capacities to combat high-tech crime.

The French Training Model Brought to WB3C Classrooms

A unique feature of the programme is that it is based on the original N'Tech Investigator curriculum developed by the French Gendarmerie for the training of its own high-tech crime investigators.

The curriculum has been used for years within French police and gendarmerie structures and was transferred in its entirety to WB3C classrooms, enabling participants from the Western Balkans to follow the same course content, methodology and practical exercises as investigators in France.

The programme was delivered in cooperation with the University of Technology of Troyes (UTT), which oversees the academic component and is recognised as one of France's leading centres for education and research in digital forensics, cybercrime and technological solutions for law enforcement.

1,400 Hours of Training and 60 ECTS Credits

Throughout the programme, participants completed approximately 1,400 hours of theoretical and practical instruction, corresponding to 60 ECTS credits, equivalent to one full academic year of study.

The curriculum covered:

Digital forensics and preservation of electronic evidence;
Cybercrime investigations and legal aspects of digital investigations;
OSINT and CyberPatrol methodologies;
Computer networks, programming and data analytics;
Information security;
Cybercrime psychology;
Investigative methodologies;
Analysis of electronic communications and digital traces.

Particular emphasis was placed on practical work involving real investigative scenarios and the use of specialised forensic tools routinely employed by cybercrime units.

Successful Defence of Final Theses

At the conclusion of the programme, all participants sat for a final examination and defended their professional theses before a panel composed of French professors and instructors involved in programme delivery.

All 14 participants successfully defended their theses and obtained the Professional Bachelor License qualification awarded by the University of Technology of Troyes, demonstrating the high level of expertise and commitment they maintained throughout the fifteen-month programme.

The qualification they earned is internationally recognised and certifies specialised knowledge in digital forensics and cybercrime investigations.

€150,000 Donation of Digital Forensics Equipment

To ensure that newly acquired knowledge can be immediately applied in operational work, WB3C donated specialised digital forensic equipment worth €150,000 to the high-tech crime units from which the graduates originate.

The donation includes:

Data extraction licences;
Write-blocker devices used to preserve the integrity of digital evidence;
High-performance computers for forensic analysis;
Equipment for the storage and analysis of digital evidence;
Additional specialised forensic tools and accessories.

This represents the first equipment donation made by WB3C since its establishment.

Bojan Miranović, on Behalf of the Police Administration of Montenegro: Knowledge, Equipment and Cooperation Are Key to Successfully Combating Cybercrime

The ceremony was attended by Bojan Miranović, Head of the Unit for Combatting High-Tech Crime at the Police Administration of Montenegro, whose officers were among the programme participants.

Addressing the graduates, Miranović emphasised that the programme represents a strategic investment in strengthening the capacities of law enforcement agencies across the region to detect, document and prosecute cybercrime.

He stressed that modern threats require highly specialised expertise, continuous professional development and access to advanced tools, noting that the combination of quality training and appropriate equipment enables law enforcement agencies to respond effectively to growing challenges in the digital domain.

He also highlighted the importance of regional cooperation fostered through the programme, underlining that cybercrime does not recognise national borders and that professional networks, mutual trust and direct communication among investigators are essential for successful international investigations.

French Expertise for a Safer Region

The programme was delivered by French professors, experts and practitioners, including Reza El Galai, UTT's leading expert in digital forensics and cybercrime investigations; Marc Terouanne, specialist investigator in new technologies and cybercrime; and Ljuban Petrović, a digital forensics and cybersecurity expert with international experience gained in Germany, including work with Siemens.

By combining the academic excellence of the University of Technology of Troyes with the operational experience of the French Gendarmerie, the programme provided participants with access to the latest methodologies, techniques and tools used by some of Europe's most advanced cybercrime investigation systems.

WB3C Supporting the Region's Cyber Resilience

For WB3C and its partners, the programme demonstrates that long-term investment in education, equipment and international cooperation creates sustainable capacities that contribute to a safer digital environment and a stronger institutional response to cyber threats.

The programme is of particular importance to the Western Balkans in the context of the region's European integration aspirations, as it contributes to strengthening law enforcement capacities and raising cyber resilience levels necessary for alignment with European security standards, combating cybercrime, and fulfilling obligations under Chapter 24, while supporting the region's integration into the broader European security and cyber ecosystem.

Key Facts

Programme: Digital Forensics for Police Investigators
Organisers: WB3C and the University of Technology of Troyes (UTT), France
Duration: February 2025 – May 2026
Training Volume: Approximately 1,400 hours
Academic Value: 60 ECTS credits
Number of Graduates: 14
Participating Countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro and Serbia
Value of Equipment Donation: €150,000
Significance: The first university-level Digital Forensics programme organised by WB3C and the first equipment donation made by the Centre.

* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence.

Other news and events

Upcoming

Disinformation and Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference Capacity Building Workshops

Programme

📅 30 November – 1 December 2026
📍 Science and Technology Park, Podgorica, Montenegro
🏛️ Conference Hall Unicorn, 2nd floor

Context: Building on WB3C’s May 2026 regional conference, these workshops examine how governments, media and other stakeholders can anticipate, prevent and respond to malign information operations. Sessions combine strategic perspectives with practical approaches to threat detection, crisis coordination, reporting and AI-enabled information manipulation. The programme is provisional and still subject to change.
Audience: Government strategic communications officials, cybersecurity leadership, journalists, media regulators, fact-checkers and civil society organisations.
Working language: English (no simultaneous interpretation).
Chatham House Rule: The workshops will be held under the Chatham House Rule, providing a safe space for an open dialogue.

Funding: The event is organised under the EU-funded project “Improving the resilience of critical entities and the protection of public spaces and cyberspace against security threats in the Western Balkans” (2026–2028). This event is also supported by Poland, Norway, United Kingdom and France, through their diplomatic missions in Podgorica and Belgrade.

DAY 1 – Monday, 30 November 2026

☕ 08:30–09:00 | ARRIVAL
Registration and welcome coffee

🕘 09:00–09:30 | OPENING REMARKS
• WB3C
• Ministry for European Affairs of Montenegro
• EU

🎙️ 09:30–10:00 | MODERATED POLICY DIALOGUE
Montenegro at the Crossroads: Safeguarding Its Democracy and European Future in an Era of Hybrid Threats
• Biljana Papović — State Secretary, Ministry of European Affairs of Montenegro
• Todor Goranović — Defence and Security Advisor to the Prime Minister of Montenegro

Moderator: Matthew Booth, UK

🕘 10:00–10:45 | EXPERT SESSION
The Agents of Chaos: The Shadow Campaign Against the West
• Maciej Bukowski — Casimir Pulaski Foundation, Poland

☕ 10:45–11:15 | COFFEE BREAK

🕚 11:15–12:00 | EXPERT SESSION
From Detection to Decision: How VIGINUM Feeds Government Crisis Management During Hybrid Campaigns
•VIGINUM — France’s service for vigilance and protection against foreign digital interference

🕐 12:00–13:00 | MODERATED DISCUSSION
The AI Disinformation Battlefield: New Weapons, New Threats, New Defences – and the Fight for Public Trust
• Dr. Raphaël-David Lasseri — Magic LEMP, France
• Henrik Vold — Norwegian Institute of Journalism, Norway
• Eirik Veum — Norwegian Police Security Service (PST), Norway
• Dr. Daniel Schroeder — SINTEF Digital, Norway
Moderator: Dr. Ingrid Vik, Director UTSYN, Centre for Security and Resilience, Norway

🍽️ 13:00–14:00 | LUNCH

🕑 14:00–14:30 | EXPERT SESSION
Geopolitical shifts and impact on the Western Balkans
• Jamie Tarabay — Crumpton Global, USA

🕑 14:30–15:15 | EXPERT SESSION
Coordination and decision making during an ongoing hybrid assault
• Matthew Booth — FCDO, United Kingdom

🕒 15:15–16:30 | EXPERT SESSION
Modern Information Warfare: The Global Strategy to Destabilise the Western Balkans
• David Colon — Sciences Po, France

🎤 16:30–17:00 | QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE

DAY 2 – Tuesday, 1 December 2026

🛠️ 08:00–09:30 | CLOSED WORKSHOP

• David Colon — France
• Matthew Booth — United Kingdom

🕙 10:00–12:00 | ROOM 1: WORKSHOP FOR GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS
From Detection to Institutional Response

• David Colon — Sciences Po, France
• VIGINUM — France
• Dr. Raphaël-David Lasseri — Magic LEMP, France

Context: Government institutions may detect suspicious activity without a clear process for assessing significance and mobilising a response.

Objective: Practise moving from initial indicators and analytical findings to an institutional assessment, escalation decision and coordinated response.

🕚 10:00–12:00 | ROOM 2: WORKSHOP FOR MEDIA AND CIVIL SOCIETY
Verification of an AI-Amplified Information Operations

• Henrik Vold — Norwegian Institute of Journalism, Norway
• Eirik Veum — Norwegian Police Security Service (PST), Norway
• Dr. Daniel Schroeder — SINTEF Digital, Norway

Context: Synthetic content, coordinated amplification and misleading claims complicate verification under time pressure.

Objective: Apply verification and source-assessment methods to a simulated information operation, distinguishing evidence, uncertainty and responsible reporting.

☕ 12:00–13:00 | LUNCH

🧩 13:00–14:30 | WORKSHOP FOR GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS
Crisis decisions under pressure
• Maciej Bukowski — Casimir Pulaski Foundation, Poland
Practical tabletop exercise.

🧩 13:00–14:30 | WORKSHOP FOR MEDIA AND CIVIL SOCIETY
Editorial judgement during a hybrid crises (TBC)
• Jamie Tarabay — Crumptom Global, USA
Practical tabletop exercise.

🍽️ 14:30–15:00 | COFFEE BREAK

🛠️ 15:00–16:30 | PLENARY WORKSHOP
Government-Media Crisis Coordination Simulation

• Matthew Booth — FCDO, UK

DAY 3 – Wednesday, 2 December 2026

🛠️ Time TBC | UNIVERSITY GUEST LECTURES

• Maciej Bukowski — Casimir Pulaski Foundation, Poland
• Jamie Tarabay — Crumpton Global LLC
University of Donja Gorica, Faculty of Humanities

NB. To register for the conference please use this LINK or contact vanja.madzgalj@wb3c.org. The number of seats is limited.

This event will be photographed. Please read our Privacy Policy on the Registration Form.

To download the programme and the speakers bios, go to the top of the page.

From Open Sources to Investigative Intelligence: Advanced OSINT

Open-source intelligence is increasingly central to modern cyber investigations. But finding information is only part of the challenge. Knowing how to investigate securely, connect findings and turn fragmented data into actionable intelligence is what makes the difference.

On 10–11 November, WB3C is hosting a two-day advanced OSINT training in Podgorica, bringing together specialists from cybercrime units and judicial investigative services across the Western Balkans.

Delivered by Nicolas De Rycke and Jean-Pier Bonnet JP BNT, the practical training introduces participants to elephantastici io, an advanced investigative platform, with a focus on:
✅ Operational security during online investigations
✅ Advanced search capabilities and intelligence gathering
✅ Exporting findings for investigative reports and case files
✅ Building logical investigation maps to connect evidence and trace research activities
The training also brings together professionals who have completed WB3C's recent Train-the-Trainers programme, providing an opportunity to deepen their technical expertise and explore tools that can support their investigative work.
The focus is on practical application: giving investigators the tools and techniques to work more effectively, securely and systematically in an increasingly complex digital environment.

Selection underway for the next generation of cybersecurity diploma programme

The Western Balkans Cyber Capacity Centre (WB3C), in partnership with the Université de Technologie de Troyes (UTT), France, is preparing to welcome the next generation of participants to its one-year Cybersecurity Diploma Programme, starting in February 2027.
The selection process is already underway, reflecting strong regional interest in advanced cybersecurity education:
🧑‍🎓 23 candidates from across the Western Balkans applied.
🧑‍🎓 17 candidates successfully passed the first pre-selection examination.
🧑‍🎓 13 November marks the next stage, with candidates taking a second entrance examination.

The programme places hands-on training and practical experience at the heart of its curriculum with a view of equipping participants with the technical skills and operational competencies needed to address real-world cyber threats, making them job-ready for the most in-demand entry level jobs.

Through its partnership with UTT, WB3C is helping bridge the gap between academic knowledge and operational readiness, developing a new generation of skilled cybersecurity professionals capable of strengthening cyber resilience across the Western Balkans.