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What is the Cyber Champions Programme?
Our Cyber Champions Programme aims to increase cyber security awareness across TU Dublin by bringing together a group of volunteers from around our University.The programme’s goal is to drive up positive engagement between staff and the Cyber Security team, which will help reduce successful phishing campaigns, prevent data breaches, and magnify our threat detection efforts.
Our cyber champions programme aims to:
- Increase the visibility of the TU Dublin's cyber security team
- Motivate our staff to stay up to date about the latest cyber security issues
- Foster a positive culture of awareness – less people blaming, more investment in encouraging the adoption of cyber security best practices.
What do champions do?
Our Cyber Champions have two main tasks:
1. Inform colleagues how to spot and report phishing
2. Encourage colleagues to complete annual cyber security training.
Champions are responsible for liaising with their colleagues in their respective department/division. For example, a champion from the Department of Computing is only expected to reach out to their peers in Computing, not Finance, HR, etc.
Champions can also share periodic security updates from the cyber security team. Templates will be provided, and champions are welcome to tailor guidance to fit their department/division’s unique needs. Cyber security topics shared will be light touch and as informative but non-disruptive to staff as possible.
How can I volunteer?
To volunteer as a champion, please complete the cyber security awareness training hosted by HEAnet. You can find a list of scheduled training here. Alternatively, take part in your department/division’s group training session, speak to your department manager to ask when your training is scheduled.
When you’ve completed awareness training, please email itsupport@tudublin.ie to register your interest in being a Cyber Champion. The cyber security team will email back with more information once enough staff have volunteered to organise an induction meeting for the first champions.
FAQ
- By supporting the Cyber team’s efforts to protect the University from ransomware, data breaches, and social engineering attacks, champions gain skills and knowledge on cyber topics and how best to communicate these
- They have enhanced access to the Cyber Security team to ask questions and get the latest cyber security updates for TU Dublin
- They get to join a community of champions which involves networking with others across our community and take part in periodic group catch ups
- Earn a certificate and can incorporate their volunteer work in the pilot program in their career development at TU Dublin.
Any full-time staff member with a TU Dublin email address can volunteer as a champion, whether they just joined TU Dublin or have worked for many years at our University. Academic and Administrative staff are equally needed.
Champions are not expected to have extensive cyber security experience; the volunteer role is non-technical. Empathetic, sensible staff members who understand the importance of cyber security awareness are encouraged to volunteer.
At the most, one hour per week on average. Periodically, there will be catchups organised, and those will take 30 minutes to an hour. A Cyber Champion who wants to be more involved is very welcome to commit more time, but we appreciate this is entirely voluntary and most staff already has significant work commitments.
These are not the same programme. If you are already a TU Dublin Champion, you are extra welcome to volunteer as a Cyber Champion, as there may be some overlap in the areas covered between the two programmes.
We are currently recruiting TU Dublin staff. There will be limited ways for students to become involved, as the programme is currently structured around liaising with departments and divisions.