The Southern Africa – Netherlands Cyber Security School (SANCS) is proud to announce that we will be partnering with Microsoft for SANCS 25!
We are extremely excited to be partnering with Microsoft as a challenge partner for SANCS. They will present an engaging challenge for students to tackle collaboratively in multidisciplinary teams, allowing them to apply their knowledge from the lecture period into practice. The challenge will be available on the SANCS website soon. SANCS25 will also feature two experts from Microsoft who are both Chief Security Advisors, Esther Schagen-van Luit for the Netherlands and Kerissa Varma for Africa. Esther will be providing a lecture on ‘The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Cybersecurity,’ and Kerissa will participate in an Expert Panel on ‘Cybersecurity and Emerging Technologies’ during the SANCS25 Opening Ceremony.
Microsoft is a leading tech company with a mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. We’re living in an era in which technology has the potential to power awesome advancements across every sector of our economy and society. This places Microsoft at a historic intersection of opportunity and responsibility. To realize their mission, Microsoft aims to create a future that benefits everyone. They focus on four enduring commitments that are central to their mission, serving as a guide to ensure their actions align: Expand Opportunity, Earn Trust, Protect Fundamental Rights, Advance Sustainability.
The Southern Africa – Netherlands Cyber Security School is an online, free-of-charge, international cybersecurity school organised by HCSS – The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies and Stellenbosch University, sponsored by the Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken of the Netherlands and supported by the Netherlands Embassy and Consulate in South Africa for students and young to mid-career professionals interested in cybersecurity matters.
Key Features of SANCS 25:
Programme Overview:
- Date: 3 March to 10 April 2025
- 20+ lectures by renowned experts on various cyber security topics
- Real case studies/challenges from leading Southern African and Dutch organisations to work on and present to expert panels
- Cyber Resilience Game throughout the course
- Official certificates for successful participants who attend the majority of lectures and/or complete a challenge
- Opportunity to apply for the 6-month Cyber Talent Accelerator (CTA) Programme
Registration:
- Open to current postgraduate students, recent graduates, and young to mid-career professionals
- No prior background in cybersecurity required, but a deep interest is essential
- Registration link: Southern Africa-Netherlands Cyber Security School 2025 Tickets | Eventbrite
Program Structure:
- Part 1 (3 March – 24 March): Lecture Period
- 20+ lectures covering diverse cybersecurity topics such as ethics, AI, OIT and IIOT, emerging trends in cybersecurity, incident response, quantum cryptography, career paths and more.
- Part 2 (24 March – 10 April): Challenge Period
- Collaborative work on case studies provided by leading Southern African and Dutch organisations
- Pitch findings to a panel of experts
- Distinctions and certificates awarded to the best teams
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