Project Overview
This comprehensive training initiative successfully built foundational and advanced network security capabilities among IT technicians across Afghanistan's public university system. Through intensive hands-on workshops and theoretical instruction, the project addressed critical cybersecurity skill gaps while promoting the adoption of open-source security tools and standardized policies.
Conducted in two phases during December 2019 and February 2020, the training reached 49 IT professionals from 25 universities, demonstrating significant improvements in security awareness and technical competency through pre- and post-assessment evaluations.
Partners
-
Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE)
Afghanistan - Lead Partner -
Shaheed Rabbani Education University
Training Coordination -
AfgREN
Afghanistan Research and Education Network -
Kabul Polytechnic University
Technical Support
Key Activities
Pre-Workshop Assessment
Comprehensive needs analysis across 21 IT technicians from 7 universities to identify critical skill gaps and training requirements.
Intensive Training Workshops
Two 5-day intensive sessions covering network security fundamentals, threat analysis, and hands-on tool deployment.
Hands-on Laboratory Sessions
Practical training with Wireshark, Snort, firewall configuration, VLANs, DNSSEC, VPNs, and Security Onion platforms.
Knowledge Validation
Pre- and post-training assessments demonstrating significant improvements in security awareness and technical competency.
Community Building
Establishment of ongoing support networks through dedicated Facebook groups for continued learning and collaboration.
Documentation & Reporting
Comprehensive project documentation including participant feedback, attendance records, and future implementation recommendations.
Key Outcomes & Impact
Enhanced Security Awareness
Significant improvement in understanding of VPNs, IDPS, and modern security protocols as validated through post-training assessments.
Open-Source Tool Adoption
Successful training in Security Onion, PFSense, and Kali Linux, reducing dependency on unauthorized software solutions.
Bandwidth Optimization
Implementation of effective campus bandwidth management strategies including content filtering and caching mechanisms.
Policy Development Initiative
Ministry commitment to developing standardized network security policies for implementation across all public universities.
Capacity Building Success
100% participant satisfaction with strong demand for advanced follow-up training and extended program duration.
Inter-University Collaboration
Strengthened networks between institutions promoting knowledge sharing and collaborative security initiatives.
Supporting UN Sustainable Development Goals
This project directly contributes to multiple SDGs through capacity building, infrastructure development, and institutional strengthening.