The Indo-Dutch Cyber Security School (IDCSS) is an annual event organized by Dutch and Indian organizations for students based in the Netherlands or India and young professionals interested in cyber security issues. The central goal of this school is to give students and young professionals the opportunity to grow professionally and academically, through lectures and online action learning, in the sphere of cyber security.
Programme and speakers
Over the years the Indo-Dutch Cyber Security School has held lectures on topics such as forensics in cybersecurity, data protection, blockchain, artificial intelligence, cyber arms watch and cloud computing. Our expert speakers come from a range of backgrounds in computer science, crisis and security management, law and industry. Previous speakers have included Christopher Painter – fmr. US Cyber Diplomat, and Venkatesh Murthy – Director of Data Security Council of India. In addition to the lectures, students will deepen their knowledge through action learning challenges, undertaken in multi-displinary groups and judged by the IDCSS partners. View the latest programme here.
Our partners in academia, government and industry
Since its inception the IDCSS has been supported by over twenty partners in industry, research and government. Our partners have included Governments of Karnataka and Telangana in India, The Hague Municipality, Embassy of India in The Netherlands, The Hague University of Applied Sciences, the Global Commission on the Stability of Cyberspace, TU Delft, Verizon and Symantec. As a result, students can partake in IDCSS for a nominal fee and distinguish themselves in front of their potential employers. This years sponsors include: The Municipality of The Hague, Embassy of the Kingdom of The Netherlands in New Delhi, Embassy of India in The Hague, Government of Telangana, Data Security Council of India (DSCI), The Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence. Last year our academic partners included GNITS, JITS and VNR VJIET, our outreach partners included TASK, our promotional partners included IEEE Education Society YP Adhoc Committee and our challenge partners included CCoE and Blue Cloud.
Attend the latest IDCSS
The need for ethical and highly educated young professionals in Cybersecurity is more pressing than ever. HCSS is proud to announce that IDCSS24 will be the seventh online course for young professionals in cyber security, held from 14th of October to 8th of November 2024. IDCSS24 offers a valuable opportunity for participants to gain further expertise in Cybersecurity. This year, new subjects such as Cryptography and AI will also be addressed. Exemplary attendees may be rewarded with Certificates in the taught specialties. Apart from a rich academic experience, participants have the chance to broaden their network and meet new people, including our expert speakers, our partner’s representatives, and fellow students.
Registrations for the IDCSS24 will soon open up. Keep an eye on our website for the latest updates!
Current number of attendees
Previous Indo-Dutch Cyber Security Schools
The 2023 edition of IDCSS had over 3300 participants from India and the Netherlands, who awarded the program an 8.7 out of 10 overall. Download the fact sheet of the 2023 edition here.
In 2022 we had more than 2700. Over 4 weeks in 2022 we held 20 specialist cyber security lectures and 5 multi-displinary challenges. In 2022, 95% of students were based in India and 5% based in the Netherlands. In 2021, 51% of participants were undergraduate students, 45% were graduate students and 4% PhD candidates. Since 2015, our cyber security schools have been held with the cooperation Municipality of The Hague and the Indian states of Telangana and Karnataka. Watch the 2020 IDCSS Inaugural Session here.
National Cyber Resilience Game
As part of the IDCSS23, students had the opportunity to play the National Cyber Resilience Game. The intent of the game was to further educate the students on all different aspects of cyber resilience and challenge them to assess what capabilities are required to make India more cyber resilient. The game was played over a period of five days by more than 200 students. This component of the IDCSS curriculum gives the participants valuable insights about what lessons must be learned to make the Indo-Dutch cooperation and partnership more secure in our uncertain world. Based on the results of this game, a report was drafted on cyber resilience efforts in India., which will be officially published.
The National Cyber Resilience Game will also be a part of the IDCSS24. Find out more about HCSS serious gaming here.
Hackathons
IDCSS participants have the opportunity to extend their learning further and take part in innovative ‘hackathons’ in the Netherlands and India. IDCSS has partnered with multiple Hackathons including Hackathon for Good, which is based in The Hague. Hackathon for Good is a hybrid event that takes place from the 22nd to the 24th of November 2024, and is open to anyone with a hacker mindset and the passion to work on data and AI for impact. More collaborations between IDCSS and Hackathons will be announced soon!
Sign up now as a hacker for the for Hackathon for Good, here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: When will the IDCSS24 take place?
A: The IDCSS24 will take place between the 14th of October and the 8th of November 2024. Lectures will start on the 15th of October and run every day for the next two weeks. The last lecture will take place on the 25th of October. This will be followed by two weeks of challenges, during which our students will work in groups to complete several target-oriented tasks. The results of the National Cyber Resilience Game and the challenges will be announced on the final week of the IDCSS24, with the closing ceremony to be held on the 1st of November. Find the full programme here.
Q: How much time should I reserve for IDCSS24 courses and assignments?
A: Students are expected to be engaged part-time in the IDCSS24 programme, so as not to be hindered in fulfilling their academic obligations in their respective universities. More specifically, attendants will be required to spend approximately 20 hours on lectures and 10 hours on assignments, spread out over 4 weeks.
Q: When will the final program details be released?
A: The final programme details are expected in due time, including details about courses and lecturers. Details on the assignments will be released halfway through the courses, in which time the selection of participants among the pool of students will be made.
Q: I do not have a background in Cybersecurity. Can I apply to the IDCSS24?
A: Yes, you can! The lectures of the IDCSS24 are designed in such a way that they provide a mixture of content for both students who are new to the field as well as attendees that wish to build upon pre-existing knowledge.
Q: I don’t fulfill all the criteria. Can I apply to the IDCSS24?
A: Yes! Your motivation and acquired knowledge about Cyber security also matters. Students who fulfill the criteria and are also highly motivated will be given priority.
Q: Is there a participation fee?
A: There is a participation fee of 1000 INR in order to cover organisational costs. There is no fee for Dutch participants.
Q: How are courses going to be conducted?
A: This year’s courses are going to be conducted online. Participants will need a digital device (desktop, laptop or smartphone) that uses enough bandwidth and has a stable connection in order to be able to attend the lectures, which are going to be livestreamed using Microsoft Teams.
Q: Will I receive credits?
A: We are currently in discussion with various Colleges regarding a credit system for the IDCSS. More information will be published on the official IDCSS website. Apart from credits, participating students will receive an official certificate upon completion of the IDCSS24.
Students who manage to successfully complete the online courses will receive a Certification of Attendance by the end of the program.
Indian students have the opportunity to do tests during the program, which will provide graded results.
Q: What kind of Certificate will I receive?
A: The IDCSS provides students with two types of certification. For attending the lectures in the first part of the IDCSS program, students will receive a Certificate of Attendance. Upon completion of the Challenges, the second part of the IDCSS program, students will receive a Certification of Participation.
Q: What are the requirements for receiving a Certificate?
A: Students who have successfully participated in at least 75% of the IDCSS lectures will receive an official Certificate of Attendance. Upon successful completion of the challenges, students will receive a Certificate of Participation.
Coming soon…SANCS!
The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies is thrilled to announce the inaugural South Africa-Netherlands Cyber Security School (SANCS), is scheduled for 2024. This innovative online learning event aims to foster collaboration and knowledge exchange between students and young professionals from South Africa and the Netherlands. By creating a platform for cyber security enthusiasts to connect, this school will pave the way for stronger ties and cooperative efforts in tackling the challenges of the digital age.
