"I just wanted to say how deeply and profoundly my exchange to Romania has affected my career. Truly, Romania is my home away from home. I have so many friends and colleagues there and have now visited well over a dozen times. I remain a champion for the program and laud the beauty of Romanian culture at every opportunity."
Cybersecurity in universities – Study visits to the U.S.
The Romanian-U.S. Fulbright Commission together with Fulbright Commissions based in Poland, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovak Republic as well as partners from the U.S. organizes the cybersecurity exchange program. The visit designed for university representatives, will be carried out in a hybrid form – combining virtual meetings with an in-person visit to the U.S. East Coast.*
Please note: The COVID-19 pandemic continues to pose limitations on international travel, a threat to everybody’s health. Due to the fact we reserve the right to call the in-person component off.
During the recruitment we received over 50 applications from scholars representing universities that have cybersecurity programs (or with a program near to open). Both public and private universities were invited. Participants from the following countries were eligible to apply: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovak Republic. Applicants with strong academic and/or professional background in the field, position allowing actual influence on the cybersecurity program conducted or planned at their institution and a strong motivation to work on that were our priority. All else being equal, preference was given to early career scholars.
Selected participants:
- Adrian Alexandrescu (Romania), Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iasi, Department of Computer Science and Engineering
- Titus Constantin Bălan (Romania), „Transilvania” University of Brasov, Department of Electronics and Computers
- Boris Bučko (Slovak Republic), University of Žilina, University Science Park / Faculty of Management Science and Informatics
- Linas Bukauskas (Lithuania), Vilnius University, Cybersecurity laboratory, Institute of Computer Science
- Adrian Viorel Coleșa (Romania), Technical University of Cluj-Napoca (TUCN), Computer Science
- Sintija Deruma (Latvia), BA School of Business and Finance, Department of Management
- Dimitar Dimitrov (Bulgaria), University of National and World Economy, National and Regional Security
- Piotr Filipkowski (Poland), SGH Warsaw School of Economics, Institute of Information Systems and Digital Economy
- Dorottya Futóné Papp (Hungary), Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Department of Networked Systems and Services
- Veselina Gagamova (Bulgaria), “G. S. Rakovski” National Defence College, Command and Staff Faculty
- Marcin Głowacki (Poland), Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Electronics
- Kacper Gradon (Poland), University of Warsaw, Faculty of Law and Administration
- Ioan Daniel Hunyadi (Romania), “Lucian Blaga” University of Sibiu, Department of Mathematics and Informatics
- Dorin Iordache (Romania), Ovidius University of Constanta, Mathematics and Informatics
- Ignas Kalpokas (Lithuania), Vytautas Magnus University, Political Science and Diplomacy
- Balázs Kárász (Hungary), National University of Public Service (NUPS), Doctoral School of Military Engineering
- Roland Kelemen (Hungary), Széchenyi István University, Legal History
- Dezdemóna Kovács (Hungary), University of Szeged, Law and Political Science, International Relations
- Agata Manolova (Bulgaria), Technical University of Sofia, Faculty of Telecommunications
- Anna-Maria Markova (Bulgaria), University of National and World Economy, National and Regional Security
- Sten Mäses (Estonia), Tallinn University of Technology, Department of Software Science
- Dóra Molnár (Hungary), National University of Public Service, International Security Policy Department
- Borislav Nikolov (Bulgaria), Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy, Information Technologies
- Arnis Paršovs (Estonia), University of Tartu, Institute of Computer Science
- Răzvan Victor Rughiniș (Romania), Politehnica University of Bucharest, Department of Computers
- Krzysztof Rzecki (Poland), AGH University of Science and Technology, Department of Biocybernetics and Biomedical Engineering
- Witold Sobolewski (Poland), Lazarski University, IT Academy
- Alvis Sokolovs (Latvia), Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Engineering
- Soňa Sopúchová (Slovak Republic), Comenius University in Bratislava, Institute of Information Technology Law and Intellectual Property Law
- Anton Stoilov (Bulgaria), American University in Bulgaria, Computer Science Department
► Start date: March 10, 2021 (virtual program opening)
Learning objectives
• to acquaint participants with the scope of cybersecurity studies conducted in the U.S., the catalogue of specializations and most common course content/curriculum;
• to showcase several examples of successful cybersecurity Ms/Bs/ certification programs run by distinguished U.S. universities;
• to reflect upon best practices in organizing and running cybersecurity programs;
• to discuss the most current challenges in cybersecurity and studies devoted to the subject;
• to familiarize the group with the latest developments in cybersecurity.
The program of the visit features:
- Virtual component: 16 online meetings extended over a 4-month period (March-June 2021). The preliminary schedule is available here.
- Meetings with faculty: Meetings with several universities’ faculty and administrators of cybersecurity programs (i.e. Marymount University, Virginia Tech).
- Training: A training program at Marymount University (hybrid format: 8 virtual meetings and 2 days on campus during the in-person component).
- Highlights* expected to be included: University of California Berkeley and/or Massachusetts Institute of Technology, one of the big five tech companies headquarters (Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft or Google).
- Meetings with practitioners: Meetings with practitioners in the field of cybersecurity – both business and state-related entities, Meeting are expected in online and in-person formats.
- In-person component: An 8 days visit to the U.S. East Coast in September 2021.
*Please note: We do not guarantee meetings with entities explicitly named here. Efforts will be made to secure the specified meetings but in some cases suitable alternatives may be arranged. Meetings will be held in both components – online and in-person. Due to the pandemic we reserve the right to call off international travel and in-person components.
The program is offered free of charge and with following costs covered by the organizers: insurance, visa costs, flights to/from the U.S. and local travel in the U.S., hotels, meals and incidental expenses while in the U.S. Participants are required to cover local transportation costs in their own countries if necessary, personal expenses and miscellaneous. The program is conducted entirely in English with no translation provided.
The program is organized in partnership with two U.S.-based entities: World Learning Inc. and Marymount University and funded by the U.S. Department of State.
