19–23 January 2026
Borys Grinchenko Kyiv Metropolitan University
From 19 to 23 January 2026, representatives of Borys Grinchenko Kyiv Metropolitan University, Pavlo Skladannyi and Volodymyr Sokolov, took part in the international training course “Cybersecurity and Ethical Hacking”, held at Northumbria University (Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom).
This course was implemented as part of NATO Science for Peace and Security (SPS) Programme, which supports scientific cooperation between NATO member countries and partners, promoting knowledge sharing, technological innovation and international security. The SPS programme funds intensive practical modular training courses (Advanced Training Courses) aimed at training specialists in key areas of security, in particular cyber defence.
Northumbria University received a NATO grant to conduct this training specifically for representatives of Ukrainian universities, including academics, researchers and students. The course was attended by a delegation of 35 representatives from Ukrainian higher education institutions and was organised in cooperation with Lviv Polytechnic National University.
The programme was highly practical and interactive. Participants developed skills in penetration testing, vulnerability assessment, cyber incident response, IoT and mobile security, web application testing, social engineering and penetration test reporting, while also working on real-world case studies. Volodymyr Sokolov, Associate Professor at Volodymyr Buriachok Department of Information and Cyber Security at the Faculty of Information Technologies and Mathematics, made a presentation entitled “Planning and Managing Penetration Testing”.
Lecturer Natalie Coughlan shared her impressions: “It was an honour to teach and be part of this course. A wonderful team… I hope they gained confidence in their cybersecurity knowledge and established valuable professional connections.”
This initiative demonstrates NATO’s solidarity with Ukraine in strengthening cyber resilience amid contemporary challenges. Grinchenko University continues to actively develop cybersecurity at the international level.
Participation in the course marked an important step in advancing international academic cooperation, enhancing the professional qualifications of Ukrainian cybersecurity specialists and aligning the University’s educational programmes with NATO standards.
