This week, the Western Balkans Cyber Capacity Center (WB3C) is buzzing with energy and ambition! In a powerful collaboration with our partners DCAF - Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance, FIRST, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the British Council, WB3C is hosting a two-day regional workshop dedicated to 70 inspiring young women in ICT entering the cybersecurity workforce from across the Western Balkans. The journey began with inspiring opening remarks that set the tone for the days ahead given by:

• Her Majesty's Ambassador Dawn McKen of the British Embassy Montenegro
• Béatrice Godefroy, Deputy Director DCAF, who address the participants online from Geneva,
• Gilles Schwoerer, Head of WB3C
• Nina Lukic, Senior Programme Manager at the British Council

The event's host is Franziska Klopfer, DCAF Programme Director for Western Balkans and the mastermind behind the event.

These 70 ambitious young women are members of the British Council's #CybHER project network, and for the next two days, they are diving deep into the world of cybersecurity. Why does this matter?

Because the digital frontier needs their talent, perspective and skill. Cybersecurity isn't just about code and firewalls, it's about building a safer, more resilient world for everyone. And to do that effectively, we need diverse teams that reflect the society they protect.

Over these two days, the agenda is packed with action and inspiration:

✨ A motivating keynote from Mona Elisabeth Østvang of FIRST.

✨ Hands-on "Capture the Flag" challenges to test their technical skills.

✨ Inspirational presentations and testimonials from female cyber experts, showing them the incredible career paths that lie ahead.

✨ A panel on the "Meaningful Participation of Women in the Cybersecurity Workforce," turning discussion into action.

This is more than a workshop - it's a catalyst. It's about building a regional network of support, sparking curiosity and empowering the next generation of cyber defenders. These young women are not just the future; they are the urgently needed present of cybersecurity. Western Balkans needs these women leaders across technical and non-technical fields of cybersecurity.

We are continuing our good cooperation with URSIV - Republic of Slovenia Government Information Security Office and today, we launch a three-day Cybersecurity Awareness Program. This intensive training (3-6 November 2025) is intended for government officials, policy makers, cybersecurity officers in public institutions and critical infrastructure and IT and security managers across Western Balkans.

The program will provide practical knowledge on:
🔒 Building & evaluating internal cybersecurity awareness programs.
🤝 Establishing a national Coordinated Vulnerability Disclosure (CVD) ecosystem.
📜 Understanding the key aspects of the NIS2 Directive transposition.

The participants were welcomed by Gilles Schwoerer, Head of WB3C and Igor Kovač, representing the Republic of Slovenia Government Information Security Office (URSIV).

A special thank you to our expert trainers from the Romanian National Cyber Security Directorate: Alina U., Diana-Alexandra Morea, Mihai Marica, Cristian Driga and Daniel I. for sharing their invaluable expertise.

IT SPOT 2025 opened yesterday, 30 October, and continues today in Podgorica. Montenegro’s leading tech summit gathered global voices in innovation, AI and cybersecurity at the Montenegrin Music Centre. 

Our Program Director and Head of WB3C, Gilles Schwoerer, joined a panel moderated by Branko Džakula of UN1QUELY to examine capacity building in the Western Balkans. Two questions framed the discussion: 

• how to grow talent sustainably over the long term and
• how to reduce brain drain. 

Gilles outlined WB3C’s institutional capacity-building across cybersecurity, cybercrime and cyber diplomacy as short-term gap fillers. However, for durable results, he emphasized the need to co-develop curricula with universities and the private sector and enable a continuous talent growth. To illustrate this, he described WB3C's two diploma programs that we deliver jointly with universities: one on digital forensics, and a new course on cybersecurity launching next month. The approach WB3C is taking is to find ways of embedding these modules in university programs to enhance academic offer for long term development.

On brain drain, Gilles stressed that maintaining strong links with your cyber alumni at home and abroad is key for creating a reserve pool of experts and described France’s cyber reserve model as a template for national surge capacity and civic commitment. He explained that the reserve model fosters a sense of patriotism and obligation to help your country in need.

Andreja Mihailović, President of Women for Cyber Montenegro and Manager of the Cybersecurity Innovation Hub at the University of Montenegro reinforced the idea that cybersecurity is mission-driven work and not just a career path. She said that cybersecurity does not only protect our technology and our infrastructure but it protects people: it protects hospitals from ransomware, schools from cyberbullying, and our elections from manipulation. Skills matter, and so do values. Purpose, recognition and a sense of service are things that keep talent engaged. 

Another important point made at the panel is that we should speak about brain circulation rather than brain drain, as it is important for young people to be able to gain international experience so they can come back to share this knowledge at home. 

Thank you to ICT Cortex for an excellent event and for enabling us to reconnect with partners and friends, hear insightfl presentations and meet new people that are interested in joining forces with us for a stronger Western Balkans.