Events

Over the past two weeks, law enforcement professionals from across the Western Balkans have continued their journey in mastering digital forensic techniques as part of the one-year university-level course delivered by the University of Technology of Troyes (UTT).

This programme, acredited by the French Ministry of Higher Education, tailored for criminal investigators, focuses on equipping participants with practical and theoretical tools for conducting effective digital investigations. Final exams are scheduled for November, and we are pleased to see strong progress and engagement from all students.

We thank our partners from XRATOR – a trusted French cybersecurity firm specializing in advanced security audits and continuous threat exposure management – for their support in delivering critical expertise to the programme.

The next 2-week session scheduled in June will continue building capabilities that directly strengthen the region’s fight against cybercrime.
 

 Our Senior Project Manager, Vanja Madzgalj MBE, had the honour of speaking at a distinguished panel organised by Europe House, WeBalkans, and Women4Cyber Montenegro, in celebration of International hashtag#GirlsinICTDay 2025.  The panel brought together some of Montenegro’s most prominent women leaders in tech: 
· Valentina Radulović, Director of the Science and Technology Park
· Jasna Pejovic Pejović, Founder of hashtag#Flourish, recognized as one of top 15 EdTech solutions in US.
· Ana Nives Radovic, leading figure in fintech and blockchain, and a game developer with a remarkable academic and artistic background
· Andreja Mihailovic, PhD, Doctor of Law and President of Women4Cyber Montenegro, a tireless advocate of gender equality and promoter of women in ICT.

As someone who transitioned into the tech and cybersecurity field after a long-standing career in education, creative industries and international cooperation, Vanja Madzgalj MBE spoke about how strategic leadership, community building experience and lifelong micro-learning supported her shift into a new sector.

At the Western Balkans Cyber Capacity Centre (WB3C), she now leads on strategic communications and brand development, helping to position the Centre as a regional driver of cyber resilience and EU integration efforts in the Western Balkans. 

In her message to young women she highlighted that:

·        The tech sector thrives on diverse talents — not only engineers, but also educators, policy experts, creatives and communicators.
·        Adaptability, creativity and life-long learning are essential to sustainable career growth.
·        Having a clear goal and professional direction empowers us to shape our paths with purpose, rather than leaving it to chance. 

At WB3C, we believe that diversity in the tech sector is not just an organisational imperative — it is a societal one. And yet, real change often begins with small, strategic steps: a decision to learn, to connect and to speak up. Because tech is not only about code. It is about people — people with vision, creativity and resilience.

WB3C proudly supports gender equality in cybersecurity — and we remain committed to creating space for more women to shape our digital future.

On 24 April 2025, Western Balkans Cyber Capacity Centre (WB3C) welcomed NATO Deputy Secretary General, Ms. Radmila Shekerinska, during her official visit to Montenegro. She was accompanied by Minister of Public Administration Marash Dukaj, Director General for Infrastructure, Information Security, Digitalisation and e-Services Dušan Polović, and Head of Information Security at the Governmental Computer Incident Response Team (CIRT) Dusan Krkotic.

The delegation briefly visited a training session on digital forensics and toured the Centre’s facilities. They were welcomed by Yannick Casse, cybercrime trainer, on behalf of WB3C and met with members of the WB3C team.

The Ministry of Public Administration continues to be a key partner of WB3C, supporting joint efforts to strengthen cybersecurity capacity across the Western Balkans.

Western Balkans Cyber Capacity Centre (WB3C) has just completed a two-day training on the application of DIAGONAL — a comprehensive pre-diagnostic tool developed by the French Gendarmerie to assess cyber maturity and institutional resilience.
DIAGONAL offers a holistic assessment of an organization's architecture designed to protect against digital threats, encompassing areas such as strategy, governance, data protection and incident response.
Delivered by David T. Head of IT Europe at ArcelorMittal and a reserve of the French Gendarmerie, this training brings together cybersecurity professionals from across the Western Balkans. It's a significant step in enhancing regional cooperation and institutional preparedness.
Self-assessment is a crucial instrument for planning future development programmes, ensuring that support is targeted and effective.

Gilles Schwoerer, Head of the Western Balkans Cyber Capacity Centre (WB3C), and Maja Miranovic, Project Manager, took part in the 2nd International Conference of Security Managers, organised by the Association of Security Managers of Montenegro in Budva, Montenegro.
This important gathering brought together over 250 security professionals from across the region to address today’s most pressing challenges—from the protection of critical infrastructure and digital resilience to the role of advanced technologies in corporate and public security. On this occasion, Mr. Schwoerer presented WB3C’s mission and activities, highlighting the Centre’s role in advancing cyber capacity across the Western Balkans.
 

WB3C was pleased to take part in the Forum INCYBER Europe (FIC) 2025 in Lille, France, from 1–3 April—Europe’s leading event on cybersecurity and digital trust.
Head of WB3C, Gilles Schwoerer, along with colleagues from Direction de la Coopération de Sécurité et de Défense DCSD 🇫🇷 Guillaume Narjollet and The University of Technology of Troyes Reza E. presented the Centre’s mission and activities during a high-level panel on scaling cyber capacity through regional centres and strategic partnerships. Alongside our colleagues from the Western Balkans delegation, we explored global trends, exchanged ideas with leading cybersecurity companies and agencies, and forged new connections to support cyber resilience in the region.
A particular highlight was the discussion on future collaboration between Campus Cyber (France), the Naučno-tehnološki park Crne Gore / Science Technology Park of Montenegro and WB3C—an exciting prospect for building a stronger regional ecosystem.
Grateful to all partners and organizers for the opportunity to be part of these important exchanges.

WB3C has successfully concluded a three-day training programme designed to strengthen the capacities of local judges and prosecutors in addressing cybercrime and cyber-enabled crime.

Delivered by WB3C’s in-house trainers, the programme provided participants with a solid foundation to better understand, manage and process complex digital cases.

 The training was structured into four thematic blocks: 

• Typology of cybercrime
• Digital evidence collection
• Open Source Intelligence (OSINT)
• Introduction to cryptocurrencies

This activity is part of WB3C’s ongoing efforts to support the judiciary in building the necessary knowledge and tools to respond to evolving cyber threats.

Today, Western Balkans Cyber Capacity Centre (WB3C) launched a specialized training program designed to equip law enforcement professionals from the Western Balkans with practical skills in open-source intelligence (OSINT) and digital investigations. The training is being led by Brigadier Chief Cyril C. of the French National Police, WB3C's in-house trainer, whose extensive expertise ensures participants gain valuable insights grounded in real-world investigative experience.

The program combines theoretical learning with practical exercises, enhancing participants' ability to identify threats, gather digital evidence in lawful ways and support informed decision-making. 

The training will address critical aspects of digital evidence preservation, security checks to prevent data leaks, and safe navigation of the darknet. 

Additionally, participants will develop skills in data collection and metadata analysis to extract valuable insights from publicly available information.
This initiative is designed for English-speaking law enforcement officers, particularly those attending WB3C training for the first time, reinforcing their capacity to address emerging digital threats.

The Western Balkans Cyber Capacity Centre (WB3C) has the pleasure of hosting the 3-day Balkan Cybersecurity Days 2025 conference, co-organized by DCAF - Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance in collaboration with CIRT.ME and supported by the UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). This conference reflects WB3C’s ongoing partnership with DCAF, underscoring a shared commitment to strengthening cybersecurity capabilities across the Western Balkans.

The conference opened yesterday at the Naučno-tehnološki park Crne Gore / Science Technology Park of Montenegro, bringing together around 150 cybersecurity professionals from across the region. Opening remarks were delivered by Gilles Schwoerer, Head of WB3C, alongside British Ambassador Dawn McKen and Montenegrin Minister of Public Administration Marash Dukaj, whose Ministry is leading on the digital and cyber agenda in Montenegro. Franziska Klopfer, Principal Programme Manager at DCAF, and Serge Droz, Member of the Board of Directors at FIRST, also shared their perspectives on strengthening partnerships and enhancing cyber resilience.

In his address, Gilles Schwoerer highlighted WB3C’s central role in providing sustainable, long-term capacity building to the region across three pillars: cybersecurity, cybercrime and cyberdiplomacy, but also our role in strengthening regional cooperation and supporting the EU alignment process for all Western Balkans administrations. 

Over the three days, the conference will continue with expert-led discussions and specialized training sessions designed to equip participants with practical skills in addressing emerging cybersecurity challenges.