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The AIT, BMEIA and KSÖ emphasize their global leadership role in building capacity against cybercrime at the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime in Hanoi
Vienna/Hanoi: Last weekend marked a milestone for international cooperation in the fight against crime in the digital space with the signing ceremony for the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime taking place in Hanoi. 72 countries signed the convention, which will come into force once all countries have ratified it in accordance with their own processes. The United Nations emphasised the convention's importance, particularly with regard to developing the necessary digital skills, ensuring the trustworthy exchange of data and information, and enabling faster legal assistance and more effective law enforcement.
In this context, Austria presented itself at the event as a leading international player in secure digitalization, and therefore also in education, training and capacity building. This is based on the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology's long-standing expertise, developed in close cooperation with the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs (BMEIA) and the Competence Center Secure Austria (KSÖ). AIT and its international partners have been conducting cross-sector exercises and training formats for critical infrastructure operators, authorities, and industrial companies for many years. Building on this, AIT, BMEIA and KSÖ emphasized the need for international cooperation to develop expertise and capabilities, as well as for trustworthy, sovereign and human rights-compliant information exchange between states, authorities and industry. This was discussed within the framework of a high-level working group at the UN conference. These are essential pillars of the new UN Convention.
International recognition of training expertise and cooperation
With its Center for Digital Safety & Security, AIT is recognized worldwide for its solutions in cyber security. Since 2022, it has been the only IAEA Collaborating Centre worldwide. This is based on its special expertise in developing state-of-the-art digital technologies to combat cybercrime and protect critical infrastructures.
This role combines cutting-edge technical research with international technology diplomacy. For example, AIT cooperates closely with the BMEIA (Ministry for European and Foreign Affairs) and the AED (Agency for Economic Cooperation and Development), which implements international reform projects on behalf of the Austrian Federal Government and positions Austrian 'best practice achievements' internationally. Within the framework of the UN Convention, the AED signed a memorandum of understanding with the National Cybersecurity Association (NCA) of Vietnam, with the aim of intensifying bilateral cooperation between Austrian and Vietnamese institutions in the field of cybersecurity training and capacity building.
The Competence Center for Secure Austria (KSÖ) is a prime example of the "Best Practice Austria" model for fostering collaboration and information exchange between government agencies, research institutions, and industry. The KSÖ's ongoing national cybersecurity simulation exercises with the Austrian Ministry of the Interior (BMI) and critical infrastructure operators, in particular, contribute to increasing national cybersecurity resilience.
Comments on international cooperation
H.E. Philipp Agathonos, the Austrian Ambassador to Vietnam: "Global digital security can only be achieved through teamwork. In Hanoi, we saw how states, international organizations and technology partners are uniting around common standards, cooperation channels and training. Austria contributes practical experience in this area, including training formats, technology dialogues and trusting cooperation with regional partners."
Dieter Hampel, Managing Director, AED – Agency for Economic Cooperation and Development: "The new UN Convention establishes a foundation of trust for educational and training partnerships in a pivotal domain of digitalization. This is precisely where we come in, positioning Austria's leading expertise and technologies internationally. With the conclusion of the Memorandum of Understanding, we have laid the foundation for future government-to-government cooperation and the targeted promotion of the Austrian export industry.”
Helmut Leopold, KSÖ Vice President and Head of the Centre for Digital Safety & Security at AIT: "Technology must serve people worldwide in a responsible and safe way. To make our digital future more secure, we combine cutting-edge Austrian research with state-of-the-art training and education environments, such as the AIT Cyber Range, while also promoting public dialogue. The international acceptance of this approach impressively underlines that capacity building, information exchange and understanding, and rules for the responsible use of new technologies are the most effective means of combating the increasing professionalization of cybercrime.”
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