Participants highlighted the unique mix of expert instruction, peer leaning and community-building as defining aspects of successful Winter School 2026 as they reflected with EU CyberNet team on their motivation, impressions and reasons to attend the training.  

Bridging Technical and Strategic Expertise 

For many, the strength of the programme laid in how it bridged technical cybersecurity work with strategic communication skills, making participants understand that cybersecurity is no longer only about technology. Communication plays critical role in building trust, coordinating responses and ensuring that complex technical realities can be understood by decision-makers and the public alike. As Bojan Kordalov summarised: “In an era of artificial intelligence, growing cyber threats and misinformation, the EU CyberNet Winter School 2026 demonstrated how a structured, transparent and strategic communication approach helps to build trust.” Moreover, Mihaela Bunea-Savu added that this Winter School was outstanding, inspiring, exceptionally relevant and incredibly valuable for the cybersecurity community.  

Several participants highlighted that the Winter School helped to bridge the persistent gap between technical experts and broader stakeholders’ community. Juan Pablo Gonzalez Gutierrez described the training as an opportunity to step beyond professional comfort zone and develop communication skills in a field often perceived as overly technical. “I want to highlight the course’s focus, especially from a non-technical perspective, on developing effective communication skills in the cybersecurity field, which is often criticized as overly technical when sharing strategic information with others. It was a great experience to learn outside ‘our safe sides’, he explained. Rossana Pollio echoed this sentiment, stressing that cybersecurity resilience depends on people and cooperation as much as on technology: “Communication is not a soft skill in cybersecurity, it is a core component of resilience. Clear, timely and strategic communication builds trust, supports coordination and enables effective action when incidents occur.” 

Learning by Doing  

A strong practical component also shaped participants’ experience. Interactive sessions, crisis communication simulation and cyber range exercises allowed participants to test their skills in realistic scenarios and learn how communication functions under pressure. Donna Owiti noted how the techniques learned have already strengthened her ability to present complex technical topics to diverse audiences in her daily work at the National Kenya CSIRT, while Denisa Asko added: “What made this event truly special was how interactive the experience was. It combined theory with practice through simulated exercises and scenario-based activities that allowed me to test my knowledge and communication under pressure.”  

For Emmanuel Chagara, sessions dedicated to crisis communication and also cyber range stood out in particular as they reflected challenges cybersecurity professionals face on a daily basis. “These sessions were not only relatable to several of the incidents we deal with on a daily basis, but also introduced key learning areas that I can take with me to train others,” he said. Adolfo Caldeira further emphasized immediate practical benefits of the training that are highly applicable to professional development, including public speaking techniques directly applicable in future EU CyberNet missions and engagements.  

Appreciating the Excellence of Trainers and Programme  

Participants also praised programme’s design and the expertise of trainers, describing the learning environment as both rigorous and engaging. Jerome Okot explained that the selection of participants was excellent and trainers Omar Ramadan from Obsidiancorps and Rosaria Talarico from Frontex delivered very impressive sessions with great experience. “It made the learning experience quite enjoyable and the training provided a valuable platform for open knowledge and practical experiences exchange in often under-discussed area of strategic communication in cybersecurity,” he explained. Shiva Bissessar similarly highlighted how the dynamic teaching approach, combined with contributions from a diverse group of participants, created a collaborative and enriching learning atmosphere.  

Building Networks for Resilience  

Beyond the sessions, many reflections emphasised the importance of informal exchange and networking. Participants pointed out that cybersecurity cooperation depends on trust and personal networks as much as on formal frameworks. Helio Sant’Ana observed that cybersecurity is a collective effort in which we could not succeed without networking. “The Winter School brought me knowledge and networking opportunities, but above all, an opportunity to experiment without the concern of big formal international communities where I’m representing a country or formal organisation,” he added.  

The diversity of backgrounds among participants further enriched discussions. Lisbeth Laurie linked communication training to broader security efforts combining physical protection, cybersecurity and crisis communication to better address modern threats, including disinformation and AI-related risks. “These experiences enhanced my capacity to address disinformation, artificial intelligence and strategic communication during cyber incidents, improving my ability to respond effectively in both preventive and reactive cybersecurity scenarios,” she added.  

More Than a Technical Training 

Participant reflections show that the Winter School delivered more than technical instruction. It strengthens communication skills, fostered international cooperation and helped build a growing network of professionals committed to improving cyber resilience back home.  

The EU CyberNet Winter School took place from 14 to 16 January 2026 in Helsinki, Finland and was organised by the EU CyberNet, a EU-funded project implemented by the Estonian Information System Authority and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) in cooperation with the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency TRAFICOM. 

Photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/eucybernet/albums/72177720331319836/