Information Security Awareness, Literacy, and Privacy (ISALIP)
Small Scale Erasmus+ project
01.05.2022 – 31.12.2023
Funding body
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
Project partner
BF/M-Bayreuth (Konsortialführer), eCampus-Lausitz (Cottbus, Deutschland), Mykolo Romerio Universitetas (Vilnius, Litauen)
Project results and information materials
To use the seeding materials, you will be redirected to our project website.
The ISALIP Seeding Materials are aimed at:
– Companies, especially SMEs (English language):
- ISALIP Seeding Material – SME Guide to Cyber Security – Focus on the Baltics, Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic
- ISALIP Seeding Material – Curriculum for Cyber Security in SME
- ISALIP Seeding Material – Cyber Security Awareness Rising Rules for turning work-based learning material into private-sector engagement
and additionally as video content in German on selected sub-areas in cooperation with the YouTube channel “Zukunfssicherer Mittelstand”:
- „Datenschutz (DSGVO) für Start-Ups und junge Unternehmen“
(07.11.2022; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFrsgCP269M) - „Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) 2022 – Bedeutung für KMUs“
(13.11.2022; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TAz5sZog8Q) - „Cyber Resilience Act – Update 05/2023“
(16.05.2023; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbEElA57by4)
here for companies from Lithuania that want to enter the German market (in Lithuanian):
– People in the private sphere:
Project background
In the project “ISALIP – Information Security Awareness, Literacy, and Privacy” the BF/M-Bayreuth worked together with the eCampus-Lausitz (Cottbus, Germany) and the Mykolo Romerio Universitetas (Vilnius, Lithuania).
The motivation for this project arose from the urgent need to address the information security shortcomings brought to light by the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic led to a rushed implementation of ad hoc solutions, such as the rapid deployment of remote workstations and the introduction of digital tools for event registration. Despite experts’ concerns about information security and data protection, public attention remained minimal, highlighting a long-standing problem in this area.
ISALIP continued to build on the results of previous projects such as TeBeISi and strengthened the networks of partner organizations between Germany and Lithuania.
Project Objectives
The main objective of the project was to raise awareness of information security in all its dimensions, including data literacy, protection and risk management in both corporate and civilian environments. One focus was on the unique challenges faced by SMEs in European regions, as they have to operate across borders and in international supply chains. By addressing these needs, the ISALIP project aimed to strengthen the overall resilience of individuals, businesses and civil society institutions in the face of evolving digital threats.
The formation of networks of experts from the partner countries and at European level as a whole was promoted.
On the one hand, the network formation should contextualize the existing discussions on identity in the field of information security and ensure transnational exchange between practitioners and decision-makers from practice, research and the specific regions.
Secondly, the project group built on the work of the previous ERASMUS+ project “TeBeISi – Partial Certification in Vocational Education and Training” to promote a discussion within the expert network on good security practices and benefits for the training of citizens in education, training and higher education. In particular, the proposed combination of higher education and work-based learning was critically analyzed.
A central objective of the ISALIP project was to analyze the information security requirements for companies in a European region and to develop practical tools for dealing with them. These tools were then to be used to develop requirements for employees in a professional and private context.
Ultimately, ISALIP should support the dissemination and awareness-raising of the importance of information security for citizens and employees alike. The ISALIP results
should thus prepare the ground for a larger application in the area of “Smart Citizen” and the acquisition of digital skills.
Project schedule
In a first step, the ISALIP project analyzed the requirements for SMEs in the area of information security in general and in particular with regard to market entry into another EU country and activity in an international supply chain. The project thus followed the special requirements of SMEs in a European region, where a special interest in, for example, production or sales in a neighboring country can be assumed. As a central element of the ISALIP Seeding Materials, a Guide for SMEs was developed, which also provides an overview of actors and frameworks in the countries under consideration and at European level, as well as the upcoming EU regulations Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) and NIS2-Directive.
A total of four activities were carried out in ISALIP:
- Analysis and easy-to-understand consolidation of information security frameworks, regulations and actors in the project partner countries relevant for both SMEs and citizens.
- Conducting lead user workshops with experts from the DACH region and the Baltic States to discuss the experiences and lessons learned from Activity 1 in the context of VET and to identify best practices.
- Piloting and target group feedback on the developed ISALIP seeding materials and the design of a curriculum concept. In this way, feedback from practical users, for example regarding existing data competence or information security measures as well as identified weaknesses, could be incorporated into the seeding materials.
- Dissemination of the project results in the project partner countries.