Dr Rachel Farrell
Director of the UCD Centre for Cyber Resilience Education
A major new national initiative, Cyber Citizens, has been awarded funding under the Research Ireland Discover Programme, as part of a wider €6 million investment in 32 projects designed to engage the public in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
Led by the UCD Centre for Cyber Resilience Education, in partnership with ADAPT at Trinity College Dublin, Oide Technology in Education, Webwise, and the University of Pittsburgh, Cyber Citizens is a two-year national initiative that will support people across Ireland in responding to the growing challenges and opportunities associated with generative AI, cybersecurity, and digital citizenship.
At the heart of the initiative is CyberCitizens.ie, a new national platform that will bring together resources, learning opportunities, research, and public engagement activities under two connected strands: Cyber Sense and Cyber Smart.
Responding to a changing digital world
Cyber Citizens has been developed in response to growing public need for support in navigating issues such as disinformation, phishing, social engineering, privacy, online security, and the rapid rise of AI-generated content. As emerging technologies increasingly shape everyday life, the project aims to strengthen cyber resilience not only among young people and families, but also among decision-makers and public leaders. To achieve this, the initiative is structured around two interconnected strands — Cyber Sense and Cyber Smart — each supported by a series of pillars that reflect its distinct focus and audience. Together, these strands combine education, public engagement, youth participation, leadership development, and policy-oriented research, enabling Cyber Citizens to take a whole-of-society approach to digital resilience.
Cyber Sense: Practical cyber security education for schools and families
The first strand, Cyber Sense, focuses on practical cyber security education for schools, families, and communities. It is designed particularly for young people aged 10–14, supporting them to build core cyber hygiene skills, understand privacy, and critically evaluate AI-generated content.
A distinctive feature of Cyber Sense is its youth-led, co-design approach, building on the success of earlier initiatives across our Cyberwise work. Rather than positioning young people solely as recipients of digital safety education, the project will engage them as active contributors in the design of learning tools, games, and resources that reflect the realities of their digital lives. This approach builds on an established track record of student creativity and engagement, evident in award-winning projects from our ongoing Cyberwise initiatives and showcased each year through the Adventures in Cyberland Awards (see https://cyberwise.ie/medals-and-award-winning-projects-2025/).
Cyber Sense includes several key pillars:
Interactive workshops
Hands-on sessions in schools and libraries will engage young people in learning about AI, privacy, and online security through practical activities and game-based approaches.
Youth co-design
Young participants will help develop and refine learning materials, ensuring that resources are relevant, engaging, and grounded in authentic digital experiences.
Family events
Community-based events will bring families, parents, and guardians together to build digital resilience, with practical supports to help adults navigate online security and emerging technologies alongside young people.
Through this strand, Cyber Citizens aims to build confidence, awareness, and practical skills in everyday digital life, while ensuring that young people’s voices are central to how educational responses are shaped.
Cyber Smart: Strategic cyber awareness for decision-makers
The second strand, Cyber Smart, is focused on building strategic cyber awareness among elected representatives, public officials, and senior decision-makers.
As cyber threats become more complex and generative AI raises new governance and policy questions, there is a growing need for public leaders to understand the implications for digital governance, national resilience, public trust, and security.
Cyber Smart addresses this need through a number of core pillars:
Leadership academies
Intensive regional programmes will equip public leaders with a stronger strategic understanding of cyber threats, AI governance, and digital policy.
Executive briefings
Targeted sessions for senior officials will focus on emerging cyber risks, incident response, and the intersection of AI and national security.
Policy and research
The initiative will produce evidence-based publications and expert reports to inform national digital strategy, responsible AI governance, and alignment with wider EU cyber policy developments.
Importantly, insights emerging from the youth-facing strand of the project will help inform this work, ensuring that the lived digital experiences of young people can contribute meaningfully to policy thinking and public leadership.
National recognition through the Research Ireland Discover Programme
The Research Ireland Discover Programme is a national initiative aimed at widening participation in STEM. This year’s funded projects will engage people of all ages, from early childhood through to adulthood, using creative, inclusive, and community-embedded approaches.
Announcing the awards, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless TD, said:
“STEM is one of the most powerful forces driving Ireland’s creativity, resilience and future prosperity. The projects announced today will widen access to STEM by bringing wonder, curiosity and real opportunities for learning into people’s everyday lives. This investment isn’t just about supporting programmes – it’s about sparking imaginations. It brings conversations about research and innovation directly into our communities and helps nurture a new generation of explorers, problem solvers and innovators who will shape Ireland’s future.”
Welcoming the announcement, Minister for Education and Youth, Hildegarde Naughton TD, added:
“Today’s funding is about opening doors for our children and young people. By supporting STEM projects both inside and outside the classroom, we are helping children and young people across Ireland to discover that science, technology, engineering and maths are not abstract subjects, but real career paths that they can step into. This investment will ensure more children and young people can see themselves in STEM, build their confidence, and will empower them to pursue it as part of their future.”
Dr Diarmuid O’Brien, CEO of Research Ireland, also highlighted the significance of the funded projects:
“The projects funded today highlight the creativity and ambition of Ireland’s STEM engagement community, and their commitment to inspiring the next generation of scientists. They are also playing a vital role in helping people of all ages feel informed and connected to the role of STEM research in society.”
Building national capacity for digital citizenship
For the UCD Centre for Cyber Resilience Education, Cyber Citizens marks an important next step in its ongoing work to strengthen cyber literacy and digital resilience across education and society.
Dr Rachel Farrell, Director of the UCD Centre for Cyber Resilience Education, said:
“Cyber Citizens is an important next step in our ongoing work to strengthen digital resilience and cyber literacy across education and society. Building on extensive work to date, this national initiative will build capacity through partnership with the ADAPT Centre, Oide Technology in Education, Webwise, and the University of Pittsburgh. We are delighted to have the support of the Research Ireland Discover Programme in advancing informed, critical and responsible engagement with generative AI and cybersecurity.”
The project has also been welcomed by partners.
Professor John Kelleher, Director of the ADAPT Centre, said:
“Cyber Citizens is a timely and important initiative that will help build understanding of resilience, online security and responsible engagement with emerging technologies amongst the public and public leaders. ADAPT is delighted to partner on this initiative and further contribute to the wider national conversation on digital citizenship.”
Looking ahead
As the digital landscape becomes increasingly complex, fast-moving, and deeply embedded in everyday life, Cyber Citizens will provide a timely and important national response. Through CyberCitizens.ie, the initiative will create a shared space for practical learning, public engagement, leadership development, and evidence-informed policy conversation.
By connecting the experiences of young people, families, educators, communities, and public leaders, Cyber Citizens aims to support a more informed, critical, and resilient society — one that is better equipped to navigate the realities of cybersecurity and generative AI.
Schools, families, community organisations, public representatives, and stakeholders interested in digital resilience are encouraged to follow the development of the initiative through CyberCitizens.ie. To learn more, explore opportunities for engagement, or discuss collaboration, visit our website @ https://cybercitizens.ie/
