Welcome to the First Edition of CySEA Summary

We’re pleased to launch the inaugural edition of CySEA Summary, Cyber Security Education Australia’s periodic newsletter.

This publication celebrates student achievements, shares insights from industry collaborations, and highlights the latest developments in cyber security education across Australia.

Whether you're a student, educator, or industry partner, we hope this newsletter keeps you informed, inspired, and connected to the growing community of future cyber defenders.

Please visit our website Cyber Security Education Australia and follow us on LinkedIn.

SECeduCon5

Australia's only education focused cyber security conference, SECeduCon, was held at UNSW on Thursday the 26th of June 2025. Co-hosted by Cyber Security Education Australia (CySEA) and SECedu, was a resounding success - bringing together students, academics, and industry leaders from across Australia to explore critical themes in cyber security education and foster the profession.

Highlights included:
·   a diverse and high-quality range of academic contributions
·   a well-subscribed poster competition with over 50 impressive entries
· a dynamic program of presentations featuring senior industry leaders, government representatives, early-career professionals, and students

Now in it’s fifth year, SECeduCon engagement remains high. This year saw a notable increase in participation at the networking event, reflecting growing community interest. We were especially proud to see significant progress in gender representation, with women comprising 50% of speakers and 34% of attendees.

The interactive format and education focus sets SECeduCon apart. We remain committed to fostering collaboration and innovation and look forward to building on this momentum in future events.

Australian Cyber Security Games

The Australian Cyber Security Games, a national Capture the Flag (CTF) competition for University and TAFE students is in its second year. The five-week competition held entirely online, offers students a flexible opportunity to develop and showcase their cyber security skills. Teams of up to four current students have tackled weekly challenges built around an overarching theme, with each challenge developed in collaboration with generous industry partners who have contributed their time and expertise.

We have seen strong growth, with 54 teams participating (up from 46 in 2024) and representation expanding from 14 to 22 institutions nationwide.

Following the 2024 event, 25 teams were invited to “Lunch with a CISO,” an initiative supported by 22 companies including KPMG, JB Hi-Fi, Domino’s, Ausgrid, and REST - offering students valuable insights and networking opportunities with senior cyber security leaders.

These exercises continue to highlight the depth of emerging cyber security talent in Australia and the value of collaboration with industry.

ACUCyS
The Australian Council of University Cyber Societies

Established in October 2024, ACUCyS aims to unify and represent the interests of cyber security students and related student societies across Australia, facilitating collaboration, professional development, and advocacy in the field of cyber security and related disciplines.

Membership currently comprises 16 universities from around Australia. A recent in-person meeting was held in Sydney (to coincide with our conference), and 13 universities were represented.

Stay Connected

We’re proud to share the energy and talent driving excellence in cyber security education in Australia. If you’d like to contribute to future editions, share your success stories, or suggest topics you'd love to see covered, we’d love to hear from you.

Be sure to follow us on social media for updates, events, and more opportunities to get involved.