As part of our continued support for secure digital transformation, institutional resilience and strengthened digital capacities in public administration, the Regional School of Public Administration (ReSPA), in cooperation with the Western Balkans Cyber Capacity Centre (WB3C) and relevant national cybersecurity institutions, is organising the Advanced Capacity Building on Cyber Resilience and Data Protection – Training of Trainers for Public Administration Professionals from the Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership, to be held in Herceg Novi, 12-14 October.

The three-day face-to-face programme is designed for public administration professionals from the Western Balkans, Armenia, Moldova and Ukraine who are involved in cybersecurity, digital governance, data protection, information security and institutional capacity building.

The programme aims to strengthen institutional capacities related to cyber resilience, cybersecurity governance, cyber hygiene, incident prevention and response, business continuity, data protection and secure data governance. Particular attention will be given to institutional preparedness, digital trust and the resilience of digital public services, in line with relevant European and international cybersecurity frameworks.

Through its Training of Trainers (ToT) approach, the programme will also equip participants with practical methodologies and tools to transfer acquired knowledge within their institutions and support sustainable cybersecurity awareness and capacity-building activities.

Programme Overview

The programme combines policy and regulatory perspectives with practical exercises, case studies, peer learning, scenario-based activities and Training of Trainers methodologies. Participants will:

• Explore the evolving cyber threat landscape and its implications for public administrations and digital public services;
• Assess institutional cyber resilience and identify key cyber risks and vulnerabilities;
• Strengthen knowledge and practical approaches related to cyber hygiene, incident prevention, detection and response;
• Examine business continuity and crisis management in the context of cyber incidents;
• Address data protection, privacy, secure data governance and institutional accountability;
• Explore cybersecurity governance and the roles and responsibilities of different institutional actors during cyber incidents;
• Participate in a tabletop cyber incident exercise, covering detection, escalation, decision-making, data protection, communication, business continuity and recovery;
• Examine the cybersecurity opportunities and risks associated with AI and emerging technologies;
• Exchange experiences on regional cooperation and cybersecurity information sharing; and
• Develop practical Cyber Resilience Training Modules and institutional follow-up plans that can be replicated within their respective administrations.

The methodology is highly practice-oriented, combining expert input with institutional self-assessment, risk mapping, peer exchange, simulations and hands-on Training of Trainers exercises.

Link with the Western Balkans Digital Summit 2026

The programme will be organised back-to-back with the Western Balkans Digital Summit 2026, enabling participants to benefit from synergies between the two regional activities and further strengthening regional cooperation, peer exchange and dialogue on cyber resilience, digital trust and secure digital transformation.

This will provide an additional opportunity for participants to connect the practical capacity-building component of the programme with broader regional discussions on digital transformation, cybersecurity, emerging technologies and the development of secure and trusted digital public services.

Attached is the Provisional Agenda. The final programme will be shared with the nominated participants.

Participants

We kindly ask you to nominate 3 [three] senior or mid-level public officials from relevant institutions who are directly involved in cybersecurity, digital governance, data protection, information security, digital public services or institutional training and capacity building.

Given the Training of Trainers nature of the programme, priority should be given to participants who are in a position to transfer the acquired knowledge and methodologies within their institutions, organise internal awareness or training activities, and contribute to strengthening institutional cyber resilience.

We would appreciate it if you could disseminate this call within your respective administrations and inform ReSPA of the nominated participants by Monday 21^st September.

The working language of the programme will be English. No interpretation will be provided; therefore, a good command of English is required.

Logistics

ReSPA will cover participants’ accommodation (or perdiem) and travel costs in accordance with ReSPA rules and procedures. Further logistical details will be shared directly with the nominated participants.

For any additional information, please contact Bojana Bajic b.bajic@respaweb.eu or Jonida Llaci j.llaci@respaweb.eu.