New cyber-focused engineering education in Aarhus will strengthen Denmark’s digital defense

From August, future civil engineers can specialize in cyber security at Aarhus University. The new specialization will train more experts for a labour market with an increasing need for skills in digital security as cyber attacks and hybrid threats become more prevalent in both business and society.

“Denmark is one of the most digitized countries in the world. We have moved large parts of our communication, utility infrastructure, economy, business and public sector to digital platforms. This makes us vulnerable to cybercrime and cyberattacks, and society urgently needs highly specialized engineers with expertise in this area,” says Mikael Bergholz Knudsen, Head of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Aarhus University, on the university’s website.

The training initiative comes at a time when both companies and authorities are demanding more cybersecurity specialists – a need that is also felt in the startup and tech community in Aarhus.

University upgrades in response to new threats

Cyber attacks have increasingly become part of modern conflicts and geopolitics. Today, digital attacks can affect everything from energy supplies and hospitals to corporate production systems.

In principle, every website, app, email and connected device can be a potential entry point to critical systems. A single successful attack can therefore have far-reaching consequences for both businesses and society.

According to Mikael Bergholz Knudsen, it requires a significant upgrading of skills to keep up with developments.

“We need to move fast. Most people underestimate our vulnerability, and we need to train engineers who can build much more robust security around our digital systems,” he says.

Huge shortage of specialists

The need for cyber security skills is growing rapidly. Several analyses indicate that Denmark could be short of between 15,000 and 20,000 IT specialists in the coming years.

This challenge is already being felt by many companies today, according to the business community.

“The lack of engineers with cybersecurity skills is already a challenge for many Danish companies. It affects both their competitiveness and our overall resilience in a digital society,” says Mikkel Haarder, Deputy Director of the Confederation of Danish Industry.

He therefore welcomes the fact that Aarhus University is now expanding the range of cybersecurity education programs.

“It is very positive that Aarhus University is now strengthening the education of civil engineers specializing in cybersecurity. Denmark needs a strong talent base in the field – and the need is growing rapidly,” says Mikkel Haarder.

Engineers need to think like hackers

The new specialization will give students the skills to protect IT systems, networks and data against digital attacks. At the same time, they will build a deep understanding of the strategic and societal aspects of information security.

“Our students need to be able to think like enemy hackers, so they are always two steps ahead. Research-based education plays a crucial role in building Denmark’s overall digital defense,” says Mikael Bergholz Knudsen.

He also emphasizes that cybersecurity is not just about technology, but also about analytical judgment and innovation.

“We can buy technology abroad. We can contract and upgrade defense systems. But we cannot import originality and judgment. We want to train engineers who can analyze threats, understand people, assess consequences and translate knowledge into concrete technical choices and innovation in Danish companies,” says Mikael Bergholz Knudsen.