IT students learn fundamentals of cybersecurity during an OSCE-organized course in Turkmenistan

Twenty-four faculty and students of the Institute of Telecommunications and Informatics of Turkmenistan learnt how to stay safe online during the first segment of an OSCE-organized cybersecurity awareness training that took place on 25 and 26 May 2026.

The OSCE Centre in Ashgabat organized the training course to equip IT students with the foundational knowledge and practical skills needed to recognize, prevent, and respond to common digital threats.

A national expert exposed students to the concept of cybersecurity and expanded on common cyber threats and attacks. Future IT specialists discussed why cybersecurity matters and practiced in creating strong passwords. They also learnt how to recognize phishing, malware, and social engineering tactics, as well as secure personal devices and easily identify unsecure websites.

“The Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence at the Institute of Telecommunications and Informatics of Turkmenistan was established with the support of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, and we are proud to invest in educational projects aimed at developing future IT and cybersecurity professionals capable of protecting digital infrastructure, contributing to national cyber resilience and building a more secure global cyberspace,” said William Leaf, Head of Centre, OSCE Centre in Ashgabat.

“This training will help bridge the gap between academic theory and practical knowledge and establish strong digital hygiene habits to effectively guide younger generation in the era of high technologies,” added Leaf.

The second segment of the training course will take place on 1 and 2 June 20206 and will aim to instill a "security-first" mindset in IT students, focusing specifically on critical behavioural decision-making to prevent user-targeted cyberattacks. The students will enhance their understanding about the risks of clicking untrusted pop-ups and unverified software links and master the internal IT procedures for flagging and isolating potential phishing attempts.