21-26 October 2013: MIIS Cyber Director Dr. Lochard helped launch the first NATO cyber defense training in the Balkans, in Ohrid, Macedonia sponsored by the NATO Science for Peace and Security Programme of the Emerging Security Challenges Division. She assisted in establishing this effort over the past year with hosts from Macedonia and Slovenia. Participants included an interdisciplinary mix of representatives in academia, industry, international organizations, NGOs and mid- to senior-level political-military leaders from Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Italy, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia and the U.S. from the private sector, academia and government ministries. This inaugural step is the first in a series of planned efforts aims to increase awareness on cyber security, mitigate cyber threats and create stability in the region by fostering cooperation on cyber matters.
