C-Academy is a national training programme in cybersecurity and information security, led by the Portuguese National Cybersecurity Centre (CNCS) under the Portuguese Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR). The initiative aims to upskill and reskill professionals across both public and private sectors by offering 44 certified courses in face-to-face, online, or hybrid formats. With a target of training at least 9,800 participants by Q1 2026, the programme serves as a key pillar of Portugal's national digital and cybersecurity strategy.
C-Academy was launched to address several critical challenges:
• The growing demand for cybersecurity professionals.
• The urgent need to bridge digital skills gaps in strategic sectors and strengthen national resilience against cyber threats.
• The importance of disseminating best practice guidelines, timely cybersecurity alerts, and up-to-date policies informed by situational awareness — complemented by practical risk mitigation tutorials for public and private sector professionals.
C-Academy responds to these needs by delivering harmonized training content, developed in collaboration with leading Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). It ensures nationwide coverage and alignment with both the National Cybersecurity Reference Framework (QNRCS) and the Portuguese Cybersecurity Competence Framework.
What makes C-Academy innovative
• Curriculum consistency across participating HEIs, promoting standardized and transferable knowledge.
• National and regional reach, including training across mainland Portugal and the Autonomous Regions (Azores and Madeira).
• Flexible learning paths, offering modular and stackable formats that combine theory and applied practice.
• Academic recognition, with courses granting ECTS credits, enabling learners to pursue further education or professional advancement.
• Advanced and broad technical training in cybersecurity areas such as secure programming, cryptography, risk analysis, and network defense.
• Social and digital inclusion, by offering courses at symbolic fees (€50 for 35-hour courses; €100 for 70-hour courses), fully subsidized through PRR funding.
• Strengthen regional and national cybersecurity ecosystems, fostering knowledge-sharing networks and local capacity-building.
C-Academy is learner-focused, empowering individuals and organizations at every stage of their digital transformation. Participants benefit from:
• High-quality, low-cost training delivered by accredited institutions.
• Professional networking opportunities, including access to industry experts and peer communities.
• Competency recognition and certification.
• Inclusive and accessible environments.
By training professionals across sectors — from critical infrastructure and municipalities to SMEs and digital service providers — C-Academy contributes to building a resilient, secure, and digitally skilled society.