2025 Women in Cybersecurity Fellowship
The 2025 Women in Cybersecurity Fellowship will support up to 15 mid-career cybersecurity professionals working in government, academia, and the nonprofit sector to enhance their technical skills, understand industry policies and regulations, and enhance their preparedness to detect, respond to, and recover from cybersecurity incidents.
The 2025 fellowship will focus on the following themes:
- Cybersecurity policy and regulation development
- Cybersecurity incident response and crisis management
- National and sectoral cybersecurity workforce development via cyberhygiene, education, and professional development
- Digital resilience-building strategies
Program Dates
U.S.-Based Fellowship: 7 - 29 March 2025
Capstone Event: 12-16 May 2025
Current Opportunity
Each 4-week fellowship will include:
- Orientation and networking opportunities
- Tailored 2-week placement with U.S. host institution
- Action planning workshop with industry experts
- Professional meetings in Washington, DC
- Opportunities to explore U.S. culture
Following the 4-week fellowship, participants will attend a capstone event in Geneva, Switzerland. The capstone event may include:
- Presentations of capstone projects
- Panel discussions
- Tailored trainings
Fellows will build their technical capacity, increase their understanding of policy and governance frameworks, and foster international collaboration through the following objectives:
- Enhance technical skills and knowledge in various areas of cybersecurity, including but not limited to network security, information security management, incident response, and digital forensics.
- Gain insights into cybersecurity policies, regulations, and governance frameworks at both national and international levels, fostering a deeper understanding of the legal and regulatory aspects of cybersecurity.
- Enhance preparedness to detect, respond to, and recover from cybersecurity incidents and breaches. Training may include incident response planning, cyber crisis management, and resilience-building strategies.
- Enhance and refine leadership skills, including but not limited to communication, teamwork, decision-making, and strategic thinking.
- Develop initiatives and projects that have a lasting impact on the cybersecurity ecosystem in the Western Balkans and Moldova.
Application Deadline
The application will open on October 1, 2024 and close on November 6, 2024.
Funder
FAQs
Eligibility Requirements:
- Identify as a woman
- Between the ages of 25 and 45
- Be a citizen of, and currently residing in, one of the eligible countries for participation in the program
- Albania
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Kosovo
- Montenegro
- North Macedonia
- Serbia
- Moldova
- Currently employed
- At least 2 years of professional experience
- Proficient in spoken and written English
- Committed to follow-on activities in home country
Program Costs: If you are selected to participate in the 2025 Women in Cybersecurity Fellowship, CRDF Global and the Department of State will cover all costs associated with your international and domestic travel within the U.S., visa, and basic living costs in the US. There are no required costs for Fellows.
Lodging: Fellows will be provided with lodging in each community at local hotels at no cost to Fellows.
U.S. Visa Requirements: Fellows will be required to obtain a J-1 (Exchange Visitor) visa from the consular section at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in their country in order to participate in the 2025 Women in Cybersecurity Fellowship. All visa fees will be covered through the program as well as travel costs to attend the visa interview. Failure to obtain a J-1 visa will result in termination from the program. Recipients of a J-1 visa are subject to the two-year home-country physical presence requirement after the exchange program, meaning they must return to their home country for at least two years following participation in the fellowship, although limited exceptions may apply.
Fellowship Activities: Fellowship experiences are often very fellow-driven. This means that the fellows who are most successful often think about their goals and objectives for the program in advance of their arrival and share them with their fellowship institutions upon arrival. Fellows may also share information about their professional backgrounds and experiences at home. During your fellowship, you will likely engage in a wide range of activities, which can include shadowing meetings, conducting research, presenting on relevant topics, participating in office events, and other activities.
Fellow Selection: Fellows are selected through a competitive nationwide search that involves an extensive written application and interviews with CRDF Global.
The Women in Cybersecurity Fellowship is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and supported in its implementation by CRDF Global.
Established in 1995, CRDF Global is an independent nonprofit organization that advances security, health, and economic progress by mitigating threats and enhancing opportunities through science, innovation, and collaboration.
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