Four students – Kieran Snowdon, Gordon Smith, Brandon MacDonald, and Ignacy Boguszewicz – from Fife College earned international recognition at the Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge. 

The event is organised by the Atlantic Council, a global think-tank specialising in conflict resolution, cyber-crime, and climate change. Over the course of a two-day regional heat at Abertay University’s cyberQuarter in Dundee, the students earned the ‘most creative policy response’ award. 

The Fife College team’s cybersecurity policy brief was unanimously voted as the best among the participants, emphasising their strategic thinking and crisis management capabilities.

“Navigating through complex scenarios, we honed our skills in strategic thinking and crisis management,” said Boguszewicz on behalf of the team.

“The invaluable experience deepened our understanding of real-world cyber-threats. We’re proud of our performance and grateful for the learning opportunities the challenge provided.”

The competition, designed to identify emerging talents in the field of cybersecurity, attracted participants from universities and colleges across Scotland. Judges, featuring representatives from Google and the Scottish Government, evaluated the teams based on their performance in a mock cyber-attack scenario. 

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“We are immensely proud of Kieran, Gordon, Brandon and Ignacy for their outstanding performance at the Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge. Up against universities and other colleges from across the country, their dedication, technical expertise, and innovative approach stood out,” said Stewart McDonald, director of digital & creative industries at Fife College.

“This achievement of course reflects the exceptional capabilities of our students but it also showcases Fife College’s commitment to fostering top-tier talent in this growing industry.

“I do not doubt that these students will continue to excel as they embark on their careers in the dynamic and critical field of cybersecurity.”