Among the Few in Ukraine: MSU Students Earn Certification from American Institute
Mariupol State University is one of only three educational institutions in Ukraine whose students were invited to participate in a training program offered by the international company Information Systems Security Partners (ISSP) and the Metropolitan University of Toronto (Canada).
The students of the "Cybersecurity" program Sofia Kuplevatska, Yaroslav Kucher, and Yaroslav Belash, the latter now a proud MSU graduate, were granted this exceptional opportunity.
The program ran from March to May and included theoretical training, practical assignments, and mentorship support. At its core was a cybersecurity course developed by the renowned American SANS Institute.
Participants attended lectures, completed lab work, and took tests after each module to assess their knowledge. They could consult ISSP specialists about training material and join weekly video calls to address challenging topics.
Upon completing the program, the students passed a final exam to obtain the GIAC Foundational Cybersecurity Technologies certificate. A proctor monitored the exam process supervising each participant in real-time. They were allowed to use textbooks provided by the American Institute at the start of the course. According to the students, the test was challenging, even with the textbooks, but thorough preparation made it achievable.
The GIAC certification is a rare and prestigious credential in the field of cybersecurity, highly valued by employers worldwide. In Ukraine, only a few dozen professionals hold this certification.
