An Aberdeen cyber academy is entering a partnership with Bahrain’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) to deliver cyber safety education to 70,000 students in the country.

The OSP Cyber Academy’s partnership will feature culturally tailored cyber awareness courses that are gamified, aiming to enhance the understanding of cybersecurity best practices as well as digital citizenship.

The programme will feature four interactive courses that will provide cyber awareness to children from the age of 6 up to 17 years old.

The courses will feature the avatars of ‘guiding learners’ that will walk children through real-world online safety scenarios set against the backdrop of landscapes inspired by Bahrain’s key landmarks.

The initiative has been launched in collaboration with His Excellency Sheikh Salman bin Mohammed AlKhalifa, CEO of NCSC Bahrain.

It builds upon the Aberdeen academy’s ongoing relationship with Bahrain – the OSP Cyber Academy hosts the UK pavilion at the Arab International Cyber Security Summit in Bahrain each year.

It also hosted a Guinness World Record in 2023 for the ‘most people to take an online internet safety lesson in 24 hours’ during the event, which featured 1550 people from 44 countries.

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“We are absolutely delighted to announce our new partnership with NCSC Bahrain and to bring our online courses to such an important demographic. Children grow up in a digital world and it is vital they know how to navigate the environment safely,” Tommy McCarthy, CEO of OSP CyberAcademy, said.

“Whether it’s learning, socialising, playing games or interacting with friends, the online world hosts a huge proportion of a child’s life. We must ensure that children understand the risks that lurk online, have the ability to spot danger and understand security best practices.

“Our courses have been designed specifically to suit these needs but in a format that is enjoyable for children. The games are interactive, fun, but they also provide guidance for children which will help keep them safe online.”