Program Open Call
The Global Conference on Cyber Capacity Building 2023 (GC3B) announced an open call to become a session leader on the 15th of May 2023. The open call closed on the 25th of June 2023.
Introduction
The Conference program includes space for 12 sessions for organizations seeking to lead sessions under the cross-cutting theme of Operationalizing Solutions. The purpose of these sessions is to identify and leverage good practices, tools, and solutions from cyber capacity building (CCB) and other fields that can contribute to de-risking and facilitating sustainable, inclusive, and demand-driven development in low- and middle-income countries. This category includes the DAC list of ODA recipients as established by the OECD.
The submitting organization agrees that, if successful in its application, it will take on the responsibility of session lead. As session lead, it will manage the formulation of the session, including the prioritization, selection, and invitation of suitable speakers, refinement of session descriptions, leading on planning and work management of the session team, and the structuring and shaping of session formats. Please, read here to learn more about the role of the session leads.
All interested organizations should submit their proposals under one of the main themes of the Conference, aligned with Cyber Capacity Building and Cyber Resilient Development:
- Track A: Strengthening Program Management
- Track B: Implementing Successful Actions
- Track C: Sharing Tools and Resources
Please note that you can submit multiple proposals.
Timeline
- Launch of the Open Call: 15 May 2023.
- Information session for interested organizations was organized at 7 June 2023. The recording of the information session can be watched here. The Q&A of the information session is also available here.
- Deadline for submissions: The deadline for submissions has passed. New submissions will no longer be reviewed.
- Submitted proposals will be reviewed and selected by a dedicated committee of experts between 18 June and 28 June 2023. Priority will be given to those proposals that most closely align with the aims and objectives of the Conference. The selection committee will select 12 sessions to be included in the conference program.
- From 3 to 14 July 2023: onboarding for successful organizations (i.e., presentation of the conference, preparation process, formulation of the session teams, and timeline for session planning). Please, read here to learn more about the role of the session leads.
- GC3B Conference: 29-30th November 2023 in Accra, Ghana.
Evaluation & Selection Criteria
The Selection process will be a competitive one, in which all proposals are assessed based on the following criteria:
- Development Relevance (40/100): Is the proposal timely and pertinent for the community and does it address an important issue, need or challenge for cyber resilient development? Does it fit with the thematic focus and overall aims of the conference?
- Diversity (20/100): Does the proposal include various perspectives on the topic? Does it foresee diverse voices that bring insights and perspectives from different operational and geographic contexts, stakeholders, and communities? The involvement of organizations from low- and middle-income countries* is particularly encouraged.
- Creativity (20/100): Does the proposal introduce a new idea, tool, solution, or offer an out-of-the-box perspective on an issue? Does it meaningfully reflect and build upon established work and real-world good practices?
- Participation (10/100): Does the proposal have a deliberate design that puts the participant experience at the center so that the session objectives are achieved?
- Design (10/100): Does the proposal have a clear ambition and realistic approach towards its implementation (e.g., adequate speakers, objectives, etc.)?
**Please note that session proposals promoting commercial products and services will be screened out.
Program Track Selection
Below is more information about each Program Track. After reading through each track, please select the one that applies to your proposal.
Track A: Strengthening Program Management
This track focuses on good practices, methodologies, and practical solutions for the design, management, and evaluation of international cooperation projects/programs on cybersecurity issues and on mainstreaming cyber-related dimensions. It aims, in particular, to address the needs of program managers, implementers, and partner institutions engaged in program management to design and develop more inclusive, sustainable, and resilient programs.
Examples of sessions that can be suggested under this Track include but are not limited to:
- Lessons from and for practitioners in mainstreaming cyber resilience into development programming
- Embedding cyber risk assessments and mitigation plans into development programming and cooperation across the project lifecycle (design, formulation, implementation, evaluation)
- Integrating rights-based and gender-focused approaches into cyber capacity building programming
- Planning and implementing cybersecurity and cyber resilience programs that are multi-stakeholder by design
- Ensuring equality, diversity, and inclusion in cyber capacity building and cyber resilience programs
- Rethinking cyber capacity building design to foster local cybersecurity ecosystems
- Bringing cyber expertise into development programs and upskilling/reskilling development staff on cybersecurity-related issues
Track B: Implementing Successful Actions
This track focuses on practical solutions and advice that can contribute to ensuring effective project implementation (e.g.good practices, standards, lessons learned, and other resources) that strengthen cyber resilience and increase the cyber capacities of developing countries. It will enable exchanges on “how to” good practices and “do’s and don’ts” of managing cyber risk and implementing effective cybersecurity solutions from the field. It aims, in particular, to address the needs of stakeholders that engage in cyber resilience projects on the front line, including government officials and their international partners providing training or advice.
Examples of sessions that can be suggested under this Track include but are not limited to:
- Opportunities and challenges of financing cybersecurity and cyber resilience in developing countries through different sources
- De-risking national digital investments by integrating cybersecurity and cyber resilience into digital development strategies
- Closing the cybersecurity skills and workforce gap
- Cybersecurity skills exchanges between countries
- Mitigating and responding to major cyber incidents and disruptions: How to develop crisis response and disaster recovery plans
- Developing local cybersecurity ecosystems and fostering local cybersecurity industry and R&D capacities
- Supporting regional solutions by designing and implementing effective regional initiatives
- Best practices for establishing national CERTs/CSIRTs and improving their capacity
- Protecting critical national infrastructure: lessons from and for implementers and program managers on effective cyber capacity building
Track C: Sharing Tools and Resources
This track focuses on raising awareness and showcasing existing global public goods and resources – including tools, frameworks, guides, and platforms – that support implementers and practitioners in cyber capacity building efforts. They help avoid duplication/overlapping of efforts and encourage greater collaboration and cooperation among stakeholders in the cybersecurity and CCB communities, and among development donors and implementors. These resources cover a wide range of applications supporting the growth and development of the entire cybersecurity ecosystem, yet there is no existing global, comprehensive repository. As a result, the plethora of knowledge tools and resources developed by experts within certain communities of practice may remain unknown to and unutilized by the development community or the cyber capacity building community.
Examples of sessions that can be suggested under this Track include but are not limited to presentation of concrete solutions and available resources such as:
- Tools, frameworks, guides, and platforms
- Handbooks and guidelines
- Training materials
Session Objectives
Each session should align with the goals of GC3B. To that aim, the submissions should aim to meet one of the following objectives:
- Knowledge Sharing: Sessions designed to increase awareness and knowledge of existing good practices, tools, methods, and lessons.
- Agenda Setting: Sessions designed to enable dialogue and foster reflective, out-of-the-box exchanges that bring fresh perspectives to an issue or a problem and challenge traditional approaches.
- Community Building: Sessions designed to bring together communities and stakeholders that work towards similar goals but from different perspectives, with the aim of accelerating expertise-sharing and cooperation amongst them.
- Catalyzing Action: Sessions designed to build on existing policy recommendations and good practices and move to action (for example, amplifying existing or launching new demand-driven solutions and initiatives).
A session may be designed with more than one objective in mind.
Session Format
The Open Call features three kinds of session formats**.
Panel
A format used to raise awareness on a given issue and offer unique insights through interactive dialogue among the speakers. Panels are debate-like / discussion sessions curated to bring different perspectives to the issue and generate new ideas. This format serves well for the agenda-setting and knowledge-sharing session objectives.
- Moderators: 1
- Speakers: 3-4
- Duration: 60 minutes (including Q&A)
- Suggested Size: 150-200 participants
- Layout: Theatre Style
Roundtable
A format used to dive into a specific issue and integrate various points of view, followed by discussions where all participants are encouraged to participate. Roundtables are ideally designed to agree on follow-up actions or launch a process of change over a specific issue or challenge. They are intended to be of a higher level than workshops. This format serves well for the agenda-setting and catalyzing action session objectives.
- Moderators: 1
- Speakers: 3-4
- Duration: 75 minutes (including open discussion / Q&A)
- Suggested Size: 20-30 participants
- Layout: Boardroom style
Workshop
A format used for expert-level, in-depth, and highly interactive discussions. Workshops are focused on sharing knowledge and ideas around a compelling issue or challenge, identifying possible solutions, and fostering collaboration. For example, it can include brief key insight or impulse-giving remarks by a few discussion leaders, followed by smaller discussion groups that tackle a specific question with a view to identifying catalysts for change. This format serves well for the community building and catalyzing action session objectives.
- Moderators: 1-2
- Duration: 75 minutes (including open discussion / Q&A)
- Suggested Size: 30-40 participants
- Layout: Banquet style
Specific duration and layout of each session will be adjusted depending on the conference venue.