Periodic Reporting for period 2 - ESSENTIAL (Evolving Security SciencE through Networked Technologies, Information policy And Law)
Período documentado: 2019-01-01 hasta 2021-12-31
Though security is a field of study capable of diverse applications in daily life, security science is a young discipline requiring larger inter-disciplinary effort. ESSENTIAL -Evolving Security SciencE through Networked Technologies, Information policy And Law -
seeks to develop security science by addressing two of its main problems: the ad-hoc approach to security research and the growing complexity of the security environment. To do so, ESSENTIAL has set itself two main goals: a) to train inter-disciplinary
security experts and professionals, to tackle security threats in a systematic manner and b) to increase societal resilience and security by addressing in an interdisciplinary manner 15 research topics, each associated with long-standing problems in the field of security science
ranging from modeling security perception and democratizing intelligence to improving security and privacy in data ecosystems.
ESSENTIAL was the first programme of its kind aiming to jointly educate the next generation of interdisciplinary experts in security science, by uniquely exposing the 15 ESRs to: (1) theoretical knowledge and practical expertise in such areas as: (a) the policing and regulation
of information-security technology, and (b) the implementation of policies and legal standards within computing and communication systems; (2) real-world environments in law enforcement, intelligence and industry; (3) strong academic guidance offered by highly qualified supervisors and
mentors; (4) high tech research infrastructures; and (5) a diversity of interdisciplinary research events, such as workshops, conferences, summer/winter schools.
The ESSENTIAL consortium is built upon long-lasting cooperation relations among leading organizations coming from academia, international and national stakeholders and the private sector, many of whom have over 25 years of experience in contributing directly to national, European and UN technology-related policy making.
Objectives
Ultimately, ESSENTIAL aims to advance knowledge through original and independent research, with an emphasis on the stimulation of creativity, innovation and autonomy. In doing so, as a means of addressing some of the challenges arising from the abovementioned developments, ESSENTIAL has defined the following objectives:
Objective 1: To develop the burgeoning field of security science by exploring the following multi- and inter-disciplinary research topics:
• Research Topic 1: Converging Technologies and Networked Ecosystems
• Research Topic 2: Trust and Resilience
• Research Topic 3: Security and Safety in the Digital Society
• Research Topic 4: Governance, Online & Offline Citizenship
Objective 2: To create a common platform of knowledge and language for early stage researchers (ESRs) working in Security Science, with the aim of conveying interdisciplinary skills, by providing doctoral training for 15 ESRs in the field of Security Science, through structured training and research in an internationally recognized networked research environment.
Objective 3: To directly and systematically incorporate a selection of leading small and medium private enterprises from different countries into the ESSENTIAL training activities, in order to: (1) transfer expertise/know-how amongst the Consortium members and to external groups, and (2) ensure that the training offered to the ESRs is in line with the demands of the market.
Objective 4: To improve the attractiveness of research careers by promoting synergies and cooperation between academia, public research centres, SMEs, and governmental and international stakeholders that have common research interests and complementary training activities.
Objective 5: To promote European excellence beyond the borders of the European Union, by ensuring research synergies with others; e.g. Australia. The involvement of non-EU Higher Education Institutes as partners of the ESSENTIAL consortium is of great strategic value for the expansion of the European excellence outside EU borders.
seeks to develop security science by addressing two of its main problems: the ad-hoc approach to security research and the growing complexity of the security environment. To do so, ESSENTIAL has set itself two main goals: a) to train inter-disciplinary
security experts and professionals, to tackle security threats in a systematic manner and b) to increase societal resilience and security by addressing in an interdisciplinary manner 15 research topics, each associated with long-standing problems in the field of security science
ranging from modeling security perception and democratizing intelligence to improving security and privacy in data ecosystems.
ESSENTIAL was the first programme of its kind aiming to jointly educate the next generation of interdisciplinary experts in security science, by uniquely exposing the 15 ESRs to: (1) theoretical knowledge and practical expertise in such areas as: (a) the policing and regulation
of information-security technology, and (b) the implementation of policies and legal standards within computing and communication systems; (2) real-world environments in law enforcement, intelligence and industry; (3) strong academic guidance offered by highly qualified supervisors and
mentors; (4) high tech research infrastructures; and (5) a diversity of interdisciplinary research events, such as workshops, conferences, summer/winter schools.
The ESSENTIAL consortium is built upon long-lasting cooperation relations among leading organizations coming from academia, international and national stakeholders and the private sector, many of whom have over 25 years of experience in contributing directly to national, European and UN technology-related policy making.
Objectives
Ultimately, ESSENTIAL aims to advance knowledge through original and independent research, with an emphasis on the stimulation of creativity, innovation and autonomy. In doing so, as a means of addressing some of the challenges arising from the abovementioned developments, ESSENTIAL has defined the following objectives:
Objective 1: To develop the burgeoning field of security science by exploring the following multi- and inter-disciplinary research topics:
• Research Topic 1: Converging Technologies and Networked Ecosystems
• Research Topic 2: Trust and Resilience
• Research Topic 3: Security and Safety in the Digital Society
• Research Topic 4: Governance, Online & Offline Citizenship
Objective 2: To create a common platform of knowledge and language for early stage researchers (ESRs) working in Security Science, with the aim of conveying interdisciplinary skills, by providing doctoral training for 15 ESRs in the field of Security Science, through structured training and research in an internationally recognized networked research environment.
Objective 3: To directly and systematically incorporate a selection of leading small and medium private enterprises from different countries into the ESSENTIAL training activities, in order to: (1) transfer expertise/know-how amongst the Consortium members and to external groups, and (2) ensure that the training offered to the ESRs is in line with the demands of the market.
Objective 4: To improve the attractiveness of research careers by promoting synergies and cooperation between academia, public research centres, SMEs, and governmental and international stakeholders that have common research interests and complementary training activities.
Objective 5: To promote European excellence beyond the borders of the European Union, by ensuring research synergies with others; e.g. Australia. The involvement of non-EU Higher Education Institutes as partners of the ESSENTIAL consortium is of great strategic value for the expansion of the European excellence outside EU borders.
Objective 2: Achievement 2nd reporting period: Three intensive doctoral training weeks were held between January 2019 and April 2020. During the covid pandemic period the project did not hold training weeks, instead training was delivered in short sessions, emphasis was given to the needs of ESRs and supervision support was instead intensified. In addition, ESRs have individually participated in a. doctoral training offered by their hosting institutions; b. participated in more than 30 different externally hosted training and networking events (both offline and online).
Objective 3: Achievement 2nd reporting period: This objective was in part achieved until the start of the Covid 19 pandemic. Before April 2020, the project had started connecting the ESRs with external actors in the security field. In the mid-term conference, held in November 2019 several practitioners were invited to participate and engage with the research of the ESRs. In addition to the engagement with SMEs, several ESRs have had the opportunity to interact with representatives of large companies, such as Google, Facebook, Apple, Huawei and Deutsche Telekom, discussing issues related to technology, human rights and internet governance, which have direct impact on their research. This interaction was started in the first reporting period and continued in the second reporting period. Furthermore, engagement was sought with major agencies in the field including EUROPOL, INTERPOL, Council of Europe, the office of the European Data Protection Supervisor, and The Netherlands Forensic Institute. (Two of the ESRs carried out secondment periods at the Netherlands Forensic Institute.)
Objective 4: Achievement 2nd reporting period: The ESSENTIAL network has been very active in building co-operations with relevant networks in academia such as the International Association for Intelligence Education, with important stakeholders in the security science field such as EUROPOL and intelligence agencies. The resultant high employment rate of ESRs, especially in academia, even before formal graduation, suggests that this objective has been well achieved too.
Objective 5: Achievement 2nd reporting period: The promotion of European excellence beyond Europe is taking place in three distinct ways: a. one of the ESRs is hosted by Edith Cowan University in Perth Australia. b. several ESRs are non-EU citizens; c. through participation in international conferences and events by ESRs and members of the Joint Supervisory Teams.
Objective 3: Achievement 2nd reporting period: This objective was in part achieved until the start of the Covid 19 pandemic. Before April 2020, the project had started connecting the ESRs with external actors in the security field. In the mid-term conference, held in November 2019 several practitioners were invited to participate and engage with the research of the ESRs. In addition to the engagement with SMEs, several ESRs have had the opportunity to interact with representatives of large companies, such as Google, Facebook, Apple, Huawei and Deutsche Telekom, discussing issues related to technology, human rights and internet governance, which have direct impact on their research. This interaction was started in the first reporting period and continued in the second reporting period. Furthermore, engagement was sought with major agencies in the field including EUROPOL, INTERPOL, Council of Europe, the office of the European Data Protection Supervisor, and The Netherlands Forensic Institute. (Two of the ESRs carried out secondment periods at the Netherlands Forensic Institute.)
Objective 4: Achievement 2nd reporting period: The ESSENTIAL network has been very active in building co-operations with relevant networks in academia such as the International Association for Intelligence Education, with important stakeholders in the security science field such as EUROPOL and intelligence agencies. The resultant high employment rate of ESRs, especially in academia, even before formal graduation, suggests that this objective has been well achieved too.
Objective 5: Achievement 2nd reporting period: The promotion of European excellence beyond Europe is taking place in three distinct ways: a. one of the ESRs is hosted by Edith Cowan University in Perth Australia. b. several ESRs are non-EU citizens; c. through participation in international conferences and events by ESRs and members of the Joint Supervisory Teams.
Innovation 1 – Breaking down barriers between disciplines
Innovation 2 – Designed to pass on lessons of real-life collaborative and inter-disciplinary research
Innovation 3 – “Industry” in context
Innovation 4 – Bottom-up coherence and cohesion by design
Innovation 5 – Designed to link research to evidence-based policy-making
Innovation 6 – Unique research facilities
Innovation 2 – Designed to pass on lessons of real-life collaborative and inter-disciplinary research
Innovation 3 – “Industry” in context
Innovation 4 – Bottom-up coherence and cohesion by design
Innovation 5 – Designed to link research to evidence-based policy-making
Innovation 6 – Unique research facilities