Large digital networks and infrastructure frequently come under attack from malicious actors. Successful attacks can severely impact government organisations, businesses and private individuals. The Netherlands badly needs new cybersecurity knowledge and innovation to strengthen its digital resilience.
Aim of the call and substantive themes
This call aims to acquire essential and innovative knowledge from fundamental and applied cybersecurity research that contributes to shaping the digital transformation of the Netherlands in a secure way. Developing new (technological) tools, practices, courses of action and intervention options is central to this.
The 'Cybersecurity for Digital Resilience' call follows the priorities established in the Knowledge and Innovation Agenda (KIA) Key Technologies and KIA Security, and is being developed within the framework of the headline mission of the Knowledge and Innovation Covenant (KIC).
Seven themes will be considered for the substantive framework of this call for proposals, as identified in the CS4NL programme (Cybersecurity for the Netherlands),
- Security by design
- Secure data-driven working practices
- Secure and robust connectivity
- Security of operational technology (OT) and IoT, and secure integration with IT
- Cyber risk management
- System and chain security
- Cyber knowledge and skills
Interdisciplinary collaboration
In elaborating its "Cybersecurity for Digital Resilience" call for proposals, NWO fully considers the idea that many cybersecurity issues cause social, societal and technological challenges. NWO therefore identifies three intersecting themes that repeatedly recur in cybersecurity issues: the human factor, technological developments, and legislation, regulations & politics. Where the project design allows, consortia should address all of these themes when elaborating their research question.
Researchers from the natural sciences, social sciences and the humanities, as well as researchers in higher professional education and other knowledge institutions, are invited to collaborate with industry and civil society organisations to submit a joint project proposal in response to this call. NWO will host a matchmaking meeting following the publication of the call to facilitate this. More information on this and an opportunity to enrol for the matchmaking meeting will follow once the call for proposals has been finalised.