D&A HND Cyber Security Students Step Up to the Challenge at Cyber Competition

Two teams of four, each representing one of the HND Cyber Security courses at the College competed in this annual global challenge run by Atlantic Council and the Scottish Government.  The Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge is a worldwide competition where students across the world engage in the development of policy recommendations to address a fictional cyber catastrophe at the national level. In this scenario, our students will serve as advisors to the Scottish Government and will contribute towards the creation of strategic responses.

As part of the competition, our students investigated and contended with the complexities of cyber policy and strategy, as well as addressing the geopolitical implications of a simulated cyber-attack. This experience has provided our students with valuable insight into the real-world impacts of cyber-attacks on systems and the complex political challenges that arise.

Rhona Ley, HND Cyber Security said, “Representing the college at The Cyber 9/12 challenge was an invaluable experience.  I made new connections and gained first-hand experience working within the cyber security industry and dealing with critical cyber events.”

James Fleming, HND Cyber Security further commented, “meeting people from industry and getting to sit down and chat with them about their careers and experiences was interesting”.

Combining units that are taught over the two-year programme, the event itself was not only a chance to learn and test our students' technical skills but also an opportunity for them to network with cyber security professionals from across the globe.  With judges hailing from a diverse range of backgrounds such as Geopolitics, Crisis Management, Political Advisory, Law, Legislation, and of course Ethical Hacking and prevention techniques, the competition provided the opportunity for our students to showcase their talent to the experts in the field.

Sponsored by Dewar Consulting, the Scottish Government, and Abertay University, the Cyber 9/12 Strategy challenge has encouraged collaboration and engagement with industry professionals giving our students the chance to learn more about the industry and establish connections that may impact their future careers.  The competition is a testament to Dundee and Angus College’s commitment to more successful students by providing a holistic education through integrating coursework with real-world content in their industry. 

For more information on our Cyber Security courses, please visit: https://dundeeandangus.ac.uk/subject-areas/computing-creative-media/