WB3C joins UK's regional CybHER initiative empowering women and girls for cyber careers

07.11.2025

We are proud to be part of the regional CybHER initiative by the British Council, designed to empower girls and women across the Western Balkans to pursue and thrive in cyber careers. For the WB3C, CybHER is not only a regional effort we support, but also a concrete opportunity to invest in our own people and create space for their professional development.

As part of this, WB3C took part in two CybHER components:
1️⃣ A leadership program for early-career women in cybersecurity.
2️⃣ A workshop on gender-sensitive HR policies for cybersecurity organizations.

1. Leadership skills for early-career women in cyber

Our colleague Vanja Radović is representing the WB3C in the CybHER leadership track for young women in cybersecurity. This program is designed to help participants gain both the mindset and the skills needed to grow and lead in a still male-dominated industry. Over the course of the program, participants will:

💡 Build authentic leadership skills by exploring their personal values, leadership styles and emotional intelligence.
💡 Discover diverse cybersecurity career paths and map concrete options for their own development.
💡 Learn practical strategies to navigate stereotypes, bias and workplace barriers with confidence.
💡 Strengthen networking and collaboration skills to build a reliable support system in the sector.
💡 Develop a personal action plan to apply what they learn in their daily work.

We are especially glad that Vanja will learn from experienced regional leaders such as Larisa Halilovic, an international leadership expert, and Andreja Mihailović, PhD, President of Women4Cyber Montenegro, whose guidance connects technical careers with the human skills needed for leadership.

2. Gender-sensitive HR policies in cybersecurity organisations

In parallel, WB3C also joined the CybHER workshop on gender-sensitive HR policies in cybersecurity organizations, focusing on how organizational systems can either open doors for women - or quietly keep them closed. This component, was followed by our colleague Vanja Madzgalj, responsible for strategic communications and with substantive experience in gender mainstreaming, in order to:

💡 Exchange experiences and good practices between companies on inclusive and fair HR approaches.
💡 Look at domestic and international trends in gender-sensitive and inclusive HR in tech and cybersecurity.
💡 Examine how bias, discrimination, the glass ceiling and everyday prejudices show up in recruitment, promotion and leadership opportunities.
💡 Explore practical ways to improve the full HR cycle: from inclusive job descriptions and selection processes, to advancement, leadership roles and supportive workplace culture.
💡 Discuss mechanisms for safety and confidential reporting, and how policies can better protect and empower staff who experience harassment or discrimination.

The workshop concluded with self-assessment of existing HR practices, individual commitments for change and first steps towards mentoring and peer support, so that policy discussions can translate into everyday practice.

At the Western Balkans Cyber Capacity Centre (WB3C), we believe that real change happens when we work on both people and systems. By empowering our own female colleagues through programs like CybHER, and by strengthening HR and organizational practices that support them, we are investing in a cybersecurity community where women can enter, stay, grow and lead.

Other news and events

Visit to the Administration for Maritime Safety and Port Management

Today, our team Gilles Schwoerer and Maja Miranovic visited the Administration for Maritime Safety and Port Management in Bar, Montenegro, to explore potential cooperation on cybersecurity training, with a particular focus on strengthening the capabilities of their SOC team.

The discussion highlighted the value of a sectoral approach to protecting critical infrastructure, especially in sectors linked to Montenegro’s broader maritime and coastal economy. In the context of NIS2 implementation and the growing need for critical entities to align with international ISO standards, we reviewed priority needs and practical options for tailored capacity-building.

We were welcomed by Nexhat Kapidani, Deputy Director who introduced the team to the Administration’s facilities and operational context. The visit reinforced the potential for the maritime domain to be among the first sectors considered under WB3C’s future sector-focused work on cyber resilience.

WB3C Receives an Appreciation Award from the Association of Security Managers of Montenegro

At a reception hosted by the Association of Security Managers of Montenegro on 15 December 2025, Western Balkans Cyber Capacity Centre (WB3C) was honored with an appreciation plaque presented by the Association’s President, Dragan Radulović, in recognition of our strong and effective cooperation in 2025.

Sincere thanks to Dragan and to the Association for this meaningful acknowledgment.

The reception was attended by our colleagues Gilles Schwoerer and Maja Miranovic, who have already begun working with the Association on the next major event we are developing together. While it is still early to share details, we are focused on building on this momentum and further strengthening our partnership through a major joint cyber initiative currently in preparation.

The Association of Security Managers of Montenegro is a significant professional platform that brings together security professionals from both the public and private sectors across Montenegro (over 120 members) and contributes to strengthening professional standards, security culture and cooperation with institutions and industry.

We look forward to continuing our close cooperation and joining forces in advancing security standards and resilience in Montenegro and the wider region.

Second Cybersecurity Diploma Prep Course Completed

Our second Prep Course cohort (December) led by Ljuban Petrovic just finished two intense weeks of learning, practice and assessment. These ICT students showed up with curiosity and ambition to build their future career in cybersecurity field.

Now, the bigger picture:

We’ve completed two Prep Course cohorts (November + December), with 18 students in total from the Western Balkans. They have already taken the final test, and the final selection will be made in January for the free Cybersecurity University Diploma starting in February 2026, delivered by WB3C in cooperation with the Université de Technologie de Troyes (UTT).

What makes this course unique is that it’s not “just another training.” It’s a real academic pathway that helps students build lasting qualifications and it sits alongside our year round short courses as part of a wider talent strategy.

What this diploma prepares students for (entry roles):
🛡️ Security Administrator
🧠 SOC Analyst (Junior)
🧪 Junior Penetration Tester
🔍 Digital Forensics Technician
✅ Cybersecurity Auditor (Junior)

What happens next:

📝 January: final selection
🎓 February 2026: one-year long diploma course starts

Our cooperation with universities is an investment in long-term cybersecurity workforce development and we have more plans for the future how to make these courses available to more people in the region.