Approaches for cybersecurity education: a South African military science perspective

Cybersecurity threats have escalated in South Africa, highlighting vulnerabilities across government, industry, and national infrastructure. This paper is a position article that synthesises and critiques literature and institutional practices to propose optimal, actionable approaches for cybersecurity education in a South African military context. This paper aims to identify optimal approaches for cybersecurity education in South Africa, with focused recommendations for the Faculty of Military Science and other higher education institutions. A position paper methodology synthesises recent literature, policy documents, and the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) curricular framework, evaluating educational models, student profiles, industry engagement, and active learning tools relevant to the South African context. Effective cybersecurity education requires multidisciplinary curricula, integration of technical and social science perspectives, practical exercises (like CTF and cyber ranges), and strong collaboration with industry and government. Student profiles should emphasise both technical acumen and soft skills. South African needs are best addressed by mapping local competencies to international frameworks while contextualising to national security priorities. Curricula must be updated to reflect multidisciplinary competencies, provide practical training, align with international standards, and foster industry/government partnerships to build resilience and professional capacity in South Africa’s cybersecurity workforce.