Cyber Exercises and Experiential Education (CE3) Event Held in Pristina and Online to Advance Regional Cyber Resilience

On October 24, 2025, during the DOKU.TECH event in Pristina, Kosovo, CRDF Global delivered the Cyber Exercises and Experiential Education (CE3) program: the onsite leadership simulation and the online capture-the-flag competition, both made possible with the support from U.S. government funding.

The onsite activity was facilitated by the expert from SANS Institute, Mr. Kevin Garvey. Utilizing the Cyber42 simulation framework from SANS, participants from Kosovo, Albania, and North Macedonia worked together in cross-functional teams to navigate the complexities of realistic cyber incident scenarios. Throughout the exercise, participants practiced strategic decision-making, coordinated responses across sectors, and refined crisis communication approaches. The simulation emphasized how shared understanding and collaboration between different actors is essential to crafting an efficient response. CE3 brought together professionals at different stages of their careers, creating a meaningful space for dialogue, peer learning, and the exchange of diverse perspectives.

Concurrent to the in-person simulation, CRDF Global delivered the virtual portion of the CE3 program: an online Capture-the-Flag cybersecurity challenge. This regional competition brought together 82 participants from Kosovo, Albania, Serbia, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro. Using the SANS Institute’s BootUp cyber range, participants worked through realistic, time-sensitive incident response challenges designed to strengthen their technical cybersecurity skills. 

We commend all participants for their commitment, focus, and resilience throughout this rigorous exercise!

CRDF Global extends its sincere appreciation to all partners and participants whose contributions and active engagement made this event a success.