Cyber Security in the Context of International Security 2026

Cyberspace operations are now a permanent layer of international conflict, diplomacy, and economic coercion. This course trains senior practitioners to reason about cyber security where it actually lives — inside the international security agenda — alongside a pracademic faculty who still work in the field.

The only executive programme that convenes high-ranking cyber security experts in international Geneva — the neutral, multilateral ground on which cyber norms are actively negotiated. The 2026 faculty spans Swiss, Swedish, Ukrainian, Finnish, Estonian, and US practitioners who work in intelligence, defence, diplomacy, law, and security technology — and who still work in the field. Participants run a Cyber Crisis Management Exercise with GCSP crisis-management faculty and produce a GCSP Cyber Policy Brief on a challenge from their own organisation, developed across the week with faculty mentorship.

Every participant also receives a copy of the Course Director's monograph, Organizing for Cyber Power: Offensive Cyberspace Operations and National Security (paperback edition, Taylor & Francis, 2026), which arrives a few weeks after publication.

Learning objectives

Our unique learning approach means that you will participate in interactive virtual workshops while taking advantage of both self-paced and social learning opportunities.

On this learning journey, you will explore new resources and engage with your peers through an interactive online platform, enjoy discussion fora with participants and pracademics and take advantage of opportunities for deeper and meaningful online conversations during group works. It means upon completion of this journey, you will be able to:

• Describe and analyse cyberspace as an operational environment (infrastructure, attack surfaces, defensive architecture).
• Identify and assess threats, vulnerabilities, risks, and incidents; map ransomware and data-extortion kill chains from initial access to impact.
• Design and evaluate organisational mitigations and incident-response options; prioritise controls that improve cyber resilience.
• Examine and articulate the role of cybersecurity within international security—linking technical measures to policy, legal, and geopolitical considerations.
• Communicate findings and recommendations to decision-makers through concise briefs and a policy paper.

By combining hands-on exercises, expert presentations and dialogue amongst course participants, the course promotes an active learning approach to cyber security in the context of international security. You will also have an opportunity to produce a policy paper on a topic of interest and participate in a cyber simulation exercise.

Upon successful completion, you will be equipped with the knowledge, skills, and contacts to operate in cyber security.

All information you need to know (language, certification, technical and application process) before applying to the GCSP are available here.

The indicative programme for the 2026 edition is available here.

You will receive a GCSP certificate once you have completed all the course modules to the satisfaction of the course director.

The course is designed for professionals who are responsible, or about to become responsible, for cyber security in their organisation. No technical or computer science background is required. The programme is written for policy, legal, military, diplomatic, and operational professionals who need to reason about cyber security at the strategic and international-security level.

Regular cohorts include:

• Government officials — cyber policy officials, diplomats, military officers, intelligence analysts
• Staff from international organisations
• Non-profits and academia
• The corporate sector

• Standard: CHF 3,200
• Government and law enforcement: CHF 2,500
• Academia and NGOs: CHF 1,900
• Early-bird discount: 15% off for applications received before 5 July 2026
• GCSP Alumni: 20% off the standard CHF 3,200 rate
• Bring a friend: CHF 2,560 (20% off — please ensure your friend or colleague mentions your name in their online application)