The South Africa-Netherlands Cyber Security School (SANCS) is an annual online event organised by Dutch and South African organisations for students and young to mid-career professionals who are interested in cybersecurity issues and are based in Southern Africa or the Netherlands. The central goal of this school is to give SANCS students the opportunity to grow professionally and academically in the sphere of cybersecurity through free expert lectures and online action learning. The inaugural SANCS is scheduled for 11 March 2024. SANCS is inspired by the Indo-Dutch Cyber Security School, co-organised by HCSS.
Attend the latest SANCS
The need for ethical and highly educated professionals in Cybersecurity is more pressing than ever. HCSS is proud to announce that SANCS24 will be the first online course in cybersecurity for students and young professionals based in Southern Africa- the Netherlands, which will be held from 11 March to 18 April 2024. SANCS24 offers a valuable opportunity for participants to gain further expertise in Cybersecurity. Exemplary attendees may be rewarded with Certificates in the taught specialties. Apart from a rich academic experience, participants have the chance to meet with new people including our expert speakers, our partner’s representatives and fellow students, and broaden their network.
Programme and speakers
Our cybersecurity education initiatives cover a diverse array of subjects including forensics in cybersecurity, data protection, blockchain, artificial intelligence, cyber arms monitoring, and cloud computing. Our esteemed speakers hail from various fields such as computer science, crisis and security management, law, and industry. Students of SANCS24 will also enhance their understanding through practical learning challenges, completed within interdisciplinary teams and evaluated by our collaborating partners. Explore the current programme details here.
Number of registrations
Our partners in academia, government and industry
SANCS is co-organised and supported by a wide range of partners from industry, research and government. Our partners for 2024 include The Hague centre for Strategic Studies, Stellenbosch University, the Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research (CAIR) and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in South Africa.
Organisers
Challenge Partners
Partners
National Cyber Resilience Game
As part of the SANCS, students have the opportunity to play the National Cyber Resilience Game. The intent of the game is to further educate the students on all different aspects of cyber resilience and challenge them to assess what capabilities are required to make South Africa more cyber resilient, find out more about HCSS serious gaming here.
Meet the lecturers
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: When will the SANCS take place?
A: The SANCS is scheduled between 11 March and 18 April 2024. The lecture series will commence on 12 March and continue on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday for the subsequent two weeks. The final lecture is set for 4 April 2024. Following this, a two-week challenge period will unfold, where students will collaborate in groups to accomplish targeted tasks. The outcomes of the National Cyber Resilience Game and these challenges will be unveiled during the closing week of SANCS, culminating in the closing ceremony on 18 April.
Q: How much time should I allocate for SANCS coursework and assignments?
A: Participants in SANCS are expected to engage on a part-time basis to ensure their academic commitments aren’t compromised. Generally, attendees will need to dedicate around 20 hours to lectures and 10 hours to assignments spread across four weeks.
Q: When will the final program details be disclosed?
A: The complete program details will be made available in due course, encompassing course specifics and instructors. Assignment details will be released midway through the courses, coinciding with the participant selection process from the student pool.
Q: I lack a background in Cybersecurity. Can I still apply for SANCS?
A: Absolutely! The lectures in SANCS are thoughtfully curated to cater to both newcomers to the field and those aiming to build upon existing knowledge.
Q: I don’t meet all the criteria. Can I still apply for SANCS?
A: Yes, motivation and your current Cybersecurity knowledge are taken into account. While priority is given to eligible and highly motivated applicants, partial fulfillment of criteria doesn’t preclude your application.
Q: Is there a participation fee?
A: There is no participation fee due to the generous contributions of our sponsors and partner organisations.
Q: How will courses be conducted?
A: This year’s courses will be conducted online. Participants need a digital device (desktop, laptop, or smartphone) with sufficient bandwidth to attend livestreamed lectures via Microsoft Teams.
**Please note that the email you register with on Eventbrite needs to be the same email you plan to attend the lectures with on Microsoft Teams. The attendance is automated; thus, we need the name and email that you use to be consistent. If you need to change your email, please simply re-register via Eventbrite**
Download Microsoft Teams here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-teams/download-app
Q: What type of Certificate will I receive?
A: SANCS furnishes two types of certification. Upon attending the initial lectures, participants earn a Certificate of Attendance. Completion of the Challenges, constituting the second phase, results in a Certification of Participation.
**Our certificates are also automated which is why it’s important to keep the name/email you use consistent, so you don’t miss out on receiving a certificate for the work you’ve done**
Q: What are the Certificate requirements?
A: Students attending at least 75% of the SANCS lectures obtain an official Certificate of Attendance. Successfully concluding challenges grants participants a Certificate of Participation.
Q: I still have a question, where can I ask it?
A: If you still have unanswered questions and/or want some further clarifications, please watch the online optional Q&A session that we hosted on February 27th from 15:00-16:00 SAST / 14:00-15:00 CET.