SHE@CYBER training expands in Poland & North Macedonia

SHE@CYBER has been adopted independently in Poland and North Macedonia following the end of its Erasmus+ funded phase. The cybersecurity training programme was co-developed by ISACA.

The expansion takes the initiative beyond the five countries involved during the funded period and provides an early test of whether the model can continue without grant support. Since funding ended, more than 70 women in Poland have completed the training, while more than 40 educators in North Macedonia have been certified to deliver it.

The development comes amid a persistent gender imbalance in UK technology roles. According to BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT's 2025 gender diversity in the tech sector report, women hold 22% of IT specialist roles in the UK.

After Funding

SHE@CYBER formally concluded its Erasmus+ funded period in November 2025. Launched in 2024, the programme trained 45 trainers across Cyprus, Spain, Italy, Greece and Ireland, and recorded 193 registered users on its open-access platform.

An assessment by the Cyprus National Agency under the European Commission's Erasmus+ programme gave the initiative 90 out of 100. It received an "Excellent Quality" designation and was recognised as a "European Good Practise".

The programme was also a finalist in the 2025 European Digital Skills Awards.

SHE@CYBER is aimed at women and people entering cybersecurity from non-technical backgrounds. Its curriculum is mapped against the European Cybersecurity Skills Framework to help learners build recognised skills from the outset.

ISACA's role included adapting its frameworks into an accessible format for people without a technical background. The project also draws on research into why women remain underrepresented in cybersecurity and how entry routes into the profession are defined.

A central feature of the model is its train-the-trainer structure. Instead of relying on a single teaching team, the programme certifies educators who can then deliver the material independently to new groups of learners.

That approach appears to be driving the expansion in North Macedonia, where educators have been trained to run the programme locally. In Poland, post-funding delivery has so far led to more than 70 women completing the course.

Professor Vladlena Benson, Academic and Research Liaison at ISACA and Director of the Aston Centre for Cyber Security Innovation at Aston University, said: "Women are underrepresented in cybersecurity not due to a lack of ability, but often because of how the profession defines itself and communicates its entry pathway. By combining technical foundations with confidence-building, professional skills and accessible learning, SHE@CYBER creates a more realistic and inclusive route into the field."

Skills Gap

Cybersecurity employers and industry bodies have long pointed to recruitment shortages, while diversity advocates argue that hiring practices and training routes still narrow the pool of entrants. Programmes that lower barriers for candidates without formal technical experience are increasingly being used to widen access.

ISACA linked SHE@CYBER to that broader workforce challenge. Chris Dimitriadis, Chief Global Strategy Officer at ISACA, said: "SHE@CYBER shows that when training is grounded in real-world needs and supported by recognised standards, it becomes both credible and inclusive. That combination is what building a stronger cybersecurity workforce actually requires."

The platform and learning materials will remain freely accessible until at least November 2028.