The Faculty of Informatics provides coordination of the project and expert guidance. The aim of the project is to train Masaryk University students in cyber security and to support them in passing this knowledge on – to schools, libraries, non-profit organisations, small and medium-sized enterprises, community centres and pedagogical and psychological counselling centres.
“We want to show that cybersecurity is not just something IT experts should care about. Everyone can help protect themselves and others from digital threats if they have the right knowledge and tools,” says Jiří Barnat, Dean of the MU Faculty of Informatics.
The project includes the launch of a new, university-wide course, VV080 Cybersecurity in Practice. The course’s main goal is to equip students with technical cybersecurity knowledge and practical skills that they can apply in their own environment. Participants will learn how to protect data, manage phishing attacks, use the Internet safely, and recognise threats such as deepfake videos and AI-driven attacks. The course also includes soft skills development. Learners will learn how to communicate effectively, lead projects, and organise practical community interventions. The course combines lectures, practical exercises and project work.
The project has received funding from Google.org, and its pilot phase has already taken place in the spring semester. As part of it, students have conducted their first community training sessions in more than twenty different communities, for example at the Brno office of the Organization for Aid to Refugees (OPU), whose staff praised the benefits: “The training had a significant positive impact on strengthening the organisation’s cybersecurity. Staff knowledge and awareness of cyber threats and the protection of sensitive data has increased, which is hugely beneficial in the context of our organisation. We particularly appreciated the sharing of practical tips and tools that can easily be applied in daily practice. Based on the training, we have created a comprehensive crisis plan for the event of a data leak or cyber-attack, to complement our existing internal regulations. The training also led to a review of some internal processes and increased consistency in the implementation of security measures, such as password management and the use of two-step verification and data backup. The training has also been instrumental in fostering a greater sense of responsibility among all employees.”
The South Moravian Regional Authority, with which MU has established a successful collaboration through the heads of the Education and Social Affairs departments, is helping to identify the communities with which MU should cooperate.
By the end of 2026, Masaryk University plans to train over 200 students and conduct at least 250 community interventions.
“Our goal is for students to understand cyber threats and be able to pass on their knowledge effectively to help those around them. By collaborating with other faculties and regional authorities, we can achieve a broad impact,” says Pavel Čeleda, project coordinator at the Faculty of Informatics.
Students who successfully complete the community interventions will be rewarded with a scholarship to recognise their efforts and encourage them to participate in further outreach activities.