On July 6, 2026, the official opening ceremony of the 5th “Cyber Summer School 2026” was held at Mingachevir State University.

Organized by the Azerbaijan Cybersecurity Organizations Association, the project’s main partners are the Ministry of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the National Cybersecurity Center of the State Security Service, and Mingachevir State University.

The “Cyber Summer School” project, which has been awarded the “Global Security” prize by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, is being held outside the capital for the first time this year, in Mingachevir. The project aims to develop professional human capital in cybersecurity, enhance young people’s theoretical knowledge and practical skills, promote a digital security culture in the regions, support the application of Industry 4.0 technologies, and expand professional cooperation among young people in this field.

The event began with the performance of the National Anthem of the Republic of Azerbaijan and a minute of silence in memory of the heroic martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the Motherland. This was followed by the screening of a video highlighting the development path of the “Cyber Summer School” project over the past years.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Chairman of the Board of the Azerbaijan Cybersecurity Organizations Association, Panah Musayev, noted that “Cyber Summer School” has become one of the leading educational platforms contributing to the development of the cybersecurity ecosystem in the country. According to him, the project is not only a training program, but also an important opportunity for young people to become closely acquainted with the professional environment, gain practical experience, and define their future career paths.

Panah Musayev noted that more than 100 students and schoolchildren from 60 regions of the country are participating in this year’s camp. He emphasized that this demonstrates the growing interest in the project year by year, the increasing level of cybersecurity knowledge in the regions, and the project’s important contribution to the professional development of young people in this field.

In his speech, Head of Mingachevir City Executive Authority, Ilham Ismayilov, described the hosting of such a prestigious project in Mingachevir as an indicator of the city’s growing potential in education, innovation, and youth policy. He emphasized that today Mingachevir is recognized not only as an industrial and energy center, but also as an important regional hub where modern knowledge, digital technologies, and innovative initiatives are developing.

Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Indira Hajiyeva, stated in her speech that the development of digital skills is one of the key priorities of state youth policy. She noted that in the modern era, cybersecurity is of particular importance as one of the global challenges, and training knowledgeable, responsible, and professional young specialists in this field is a strategic task.

Head of the National Cybersecurity Center of the State Security Service, Major General Davud Rustamov, stated in his speech that cybersecurity is an integral part of national security in the modern world. He noted that in an era of rapid digital transformation, strengthening national cyber defense capabilities, organizing proactive measures against cyber threats, and training local specialists capable of identifying and eliminating security vulnerabilities as quickly as possible are of strategic importance.

Davud Rustamov also drew attention to international statistics on the growing scale of global cyber threats. He noted that according to the indicators of a “honeypot” infrastructure established within an IP range belonging to Azerbaijan, 56,000 cyberattacks were recorded over the past 24 hours. Such applications make it possible to continuously monitor the potential cyberattack landscape targeting the country’s information infrastructures.

The Center’s head emphasized that effective cooperation platforms among government institutions, higher education institutions, and the private sector are of special importance in the fight against global cyber threats. Davud Rustamov stated that the representation of public and private sector representatives on the same platform within the cybersecurity camp creates significant advantages for participants. According to him, by attending trainings delivered by professional trainers, young people will be able to gain broader experience, especially by becoming familiar with SCADA systems and learning about the nature of cyberattacks targeting such systems.

Rector of Mingachevir State University, Anar Eminov, described the hosting of the 5th “Cyber Summer School 2026” in Mingachevir as an important event in terms of the development of regional universities, the acceleration of digital transformation, and the training of modern specialists who meet labor market demands.

The Rector noted that according to international statistics, a cyberattack occurs every 39 seconds worldwide. These attacks cause billions of dollars in damage to the global economy, and preventing them requires a systematic approach, professional training, and strong institutional cooperation.

Anar Eminov stated that in recent years, Mingachevir State University has identified artificial intelligence, digital technologies, cybersecurity, innovation, and sustainable development as key priorities of its activities. One of the university’s main goals is to ensure that students acquire not only theoretical knowledge, but also practical skills aligned with the needs of the real sector. According to him, 118 students are currently studying in the Information Security specialty at the university. In addition, within the Cyber Club established at the initiative of AKTA and involving 70 students, young people implement various projects in the field of cybersecurity and develop their knowledge and skills in a practical environment.

Regional Systems Engineer at CrowdStrike, Orkhan Habibzade, who attended the event with a motivational speech, spoke about the key principles of building a successful career in cybersecurity. He noted that as a result of his successful career path, he became the first Azerbaijani employee of the prestigious Palo Alto company. He particularly emphasized that professional development in this field depends on continuous learning, practical experience, analytical thinking, teamwork skills, and the ability to adapt to constantly evolving technologies.

Elgun Bakhtiyaroghlu, a member of the Cyber Diaspora established at the initiative of AKTA, also delivered a similar motivational speech. He spoke about the experience of Texio Academy established in Canada and the project opportunities that each CSS participant may create in the future.

It should be noted that within the framework of the summer school, an intensive training program covering various areas of cybersecurity will be organized for participants. The program includes practical laboratory sessions, team activities, sports and intellectual competitions, as well as “Capture The Flag” (CTF) cybersecurity competitions, widely used in international practice and organized by YER Hosting.