Current State and Future Directions of Cybersecurity Education in Czechia

Abstract

The need to educate users in cybersecurity to some extent is critical given the ever-increasing number of cyber threats. However, the approach to education cannot be easily generalized due to the different environments, technical expertise, and age groups of users. Cybersecurity, as a distinct domain within the ICT field, involves challenging disciplines that are largely technical, and therefore it is important to include hands-on learning in the education process. The field has evolved considerably over the last 10 years, including different approaches and options for its study at higher and secondary levels of education. This article focuses on this domain in the context of the Czech environment. First, the historical development and current state of cybersecurity education is presented, highlighting the increase in the number of study programs in the countries of the European Union. Subsequently, the conducted analysis is presented, focusing more closely on the Czech education system from the higher to the primary level of education. It shows that 6 universities offer accredited study programs with a primary focus on cybersecurity. The analysis also examined the coverage of cybersecurity education at the secondary level, where 41 secondary schools (31.3%) offer at least one separate course in cybersecurity, and 18 of these schools also offer a study subfield or specialization. Considering the need for hands-on learning, the article also presents tools and methods that can be integrated to create a controlled, safe, and interactive learning environment. In this aspect, the article discusses in detail the use of local virtualization, the concept of sandboxing, cyber range platforms, and gamification techniques to increase student engagement. These methods and tools were subsequently applied and tested in the lessons by university, high school, and grammar school students. From the feedback received from the test groups, the combination of interactive and gamified methods appears to be suitable for supporting cybersecurity education.