The 5th edition of the Cybersecurity Executive Program began this Thursday at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon (Ciências ULisboa) with the promise of preparing top managers and decision-makers on the main topics of cybersecurity. This new training cycle lasts two months and includes 44 executives from different companies and public institutions in the group of trainees. The course is the result of a partnership between Ciências ULisboa, through its advanced training school comCiências, and Premivalor Consulting, and includes almost 20 modules taught by experts in technology, law, military issues, cybercrime, telecommunications, and different sectors of industry and public administration.
The Cybersecurity Executive Program has begun with a new training cycle for managers
Training•31 March, 2026
António Casimiro during the start of the Cybersecurity Executive Program course
"This is also an opportunity to strengthen the connection we have through the advanced training school comCiências, addressing topics that are currently on the agenda." "ComCiências offers specific training on topics of high importance to the present day and aims to reach all audiences in society," emphasized Conceição Freitas, Faculty Dean of Ciências ULisboa, on the sidelines of the event.
The training course 5th edition of the Cybersecurity Executive Program provides four academic credits (ECTS) and a course completion certificate. “This course demonstrates Ciências ULisboa's commitment, for many years, to training in the area of cybersecurity, in this case bearing in mind that the trainees are people in top positions in relevant companies from various sectors,” says António Casimiro, Vice-Dean - Budget and Infrastructure Area at Ciências ULisboa and scientific coordinator of the 5th edition of the Cybersecurity Executive Program.
The Cybersecurity Executive Program took off with 44 top managers as interns.
The 5th edition of the Cybersecurity Executive Program will cover topics related to the European NIS 2 Directive, recently transposed into national legislation with the DORA regulation, as well as modules on the protection of resources and assets that ensure the operationality of institutions, the mitigation and prevention of cyberattacks, and many essential subjects for dealing with the increasing sophistication of the present day.
“Cybersecurity is no longer just a technological issue,” emphasized Telmo Vieira, leader and founder of PremiValor Consulting and executive coordinator of the course, alluding to the growing “digital dependence” and the necessary reinforcement of cybersecurity as a guarantor of “sovereignty” that also has an impact on the economic aspect. "Cybersecurity should not be seen merely as a cost, but as an investment," reiterated the head of PremiValor Consulting.
Telmo Vieira pointed out that cybersecurity should now be seen as an investment.
In addition to the official opening of the course, there were also short talks with Isabel Baptista, a member of the Board of Directors of the Serviços Partilhados do Ministério da Saúde - SPMS (Shared Services of the Ministry of Health), Vasco Mendes de Almeida, executive director of Indra in Portugal, Henrique Fonseca, a member of the Board of Directors of Vodafone Portugal, and Pedro Pinto, director of Fsas – a Fujitsu Company in Portugal. Artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing, the role of telecommunications, and the need to prepare companies for an increasingly complex technological reality dominated the topics of these lectures.
The official start of the course also included moments of more informal interaction.
The first module of the Cybersecurity Executive Program took place shortly afterwards, with António Gameiro Marques, Rear Admiral of the Portuguese Navy and former director of the National Security Office, as the instructor. The remaining training sessions will take place until 26 March, either in person or via videoconference.