Cyber Ready Balkans in Kosovo: Bringing Cybersecurity Closer to Young People

As part of the regional project Cyber Ready Balkans: A Guide for Youth into Cybersecurity, a series of activities was implemented in Kosovo to help young people better understand cybersecurity as a field of study and future profession.

The project introduced a practical and youth-friendly approach to career orientation by combining the national platform, guidebook, school outreach, and public promotion. Through these tools, students were given accessible information on what cybersecurity is, where it can be studied, and what kinds of career opportunities exist in this growing field.

A key part of the Kosovo activities was direct outreach in three high schools across different parts of the country, where approximately 500 students were reached through presentations and discussions. These sessions showed strong interest among students and confirmed that many young people respond positively when cybersecurity is explained in simple, practical, and locally relevant terms.

In parallel, the project’s wider dissemination effort helped extend its reach beyond the classroom. Printed materials, guidebooks, and online promotion increased public visibility, while the digital campaign in Kosovo has already reached more than 30,000 users. Around 60 students also reached out through the platform for further guidance, showing that awareness can translate into deeper engagement when young people are offered clear next steps.

The Kosovo experience demonstrated that the main barrier is not a lack of interest, but a lack of accessible guidance. By making cybersecurity more visible and understandable at an early stage, the project helped open new pathways for young people and laid an important foundation for future efforts to strengthen the cybersecurity talent pipeline in the country.