Cyber Security Governance Essentials

Cyberspace has become one of the backbones of our global economy and of modern-day societies. Almost everything we do in our everyday lives, ranging from communication and media consumption to travel and leisure and from work to school is facilitated by, or even relies on digital, networked technologies. Because of our dependence on cyberspace, it is vital that data, information, and networks are secure. Information and communications must be properly protected, networks must be stable, and data and information must be always available.

The Leiden Institute of Advance Computer Science (LIACS) in collaboration with the Institute of Security and Global Affairs (ISGA) have developed the minor Cyber Security Governance Essentials to provide students with a mixture of technical and governance knowledge to set them on a path towards understanding cyberspace and cybersecurity. Students will first delve into the fundamentals of cyberspace itself to understand what cyberspace is and on which technical foundations it is built. It will be important to review the key techniques and technologies used to increase security in cyberspace. But cybersecurity is more than a technical challenge alone: governance of cybersecurity is a crucial aspect of a secure cyberspace as well. Therefore, students will also understand some of the key challenges for governments and organizations to tackle cybersecurity challenges.

The programme of the Cyber Security Governance Essentials minor consists of 5 courses listed below, for a total study load of 30 EC spread over two blocks in the Fall semester.

For students who have only 15 EC of elective space in their program, there is the option to follow a 3 EC variant of Introduction to Cyber Security, Internet Governance (6 EC) and Basics of Computing Systems (6 EC). Students who choose this package must have basic programming experience in Python. This optional package requires presence for both block 1 and block 2 of the Fall semester.

All courses of the minor are taught by LIACS and ISGA lecturers in The Hague. Most of the courses consist of a theoretical and a practical part. It is not possible to replace courses of the programme with other courses.

The minor Cyber Security Governance Essentials is open for students with an interest in socio-technical challenges who want to delve into the technical and governance aspects of cyberspace in general and cybersecurity in particular. Some courses require knowledge or understanding of mathematics, so students should have affinity with the latter at high school level. No prior knowledge of law, public administration and governance is required. Students are expected to have sufficient knowledge of English. In particular, the minor is accessible to study-abroad students and exchange students.

Students from a computer science related discipline cannot be admitted to the minor.

This minor programme can also be followed for 15 EC. Register for this minor and contact the minor coordinator.