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Applied Sciences
Volume 16
Issue 7
10.3390/app16073260
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Importance of Cybersecurity Competencies in Higher Education and for Employers

by
Marko Kompara
*,
Lili Nemec Zlatolas
,
Muhamed Turkanović
and
Marko Hölbl
Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Maribor, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Appl. Sci. 2026, 16(7), 3260; https://doi.org/10.3390/app16073260
Submission received: 27 February 2026 / Revised: 24 March 2026 / Accepted: 26 March 2026 / Published: 27 March 2026
(This article belongs to the Topic New Trends in Cybersecurity and Data Privacy)
Versions Notes

Abstract

The global shortage of qualified cybersecurity professionals continues to intensify, underscoring the need for targeted and practice-oriented education and training. This study examines and compares the cybersecurity competencies emphasized in higher education with those prioritized by employers. The findings reveal notable discrepancies between academic and industry expectations. Employers, particularly larger organizations, assign the greatest importance to competencies related to organizational and human security, whereas higher education institutions tend to prioritize technical cybersecurity domains. These insights provide a foundation for designing more comprehensive and industry-aligned cybersecurity curricula and can support the development of educational pathways tailored to specific learner groups and workforce needs.
Keywords: cybersecurity; cybersecurity knowledge; cybersecurity competencies; cybersecurity education cybersecurity; cybersecurity knowledge; cybersecurity competencies; cybersecurity education

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Kompara, M.; Nemec Zlatolas, L.; Turkanović, M.; Hölbl, M. Importance of Cybersecurity Competencies in Higher Education and for Employers. Appl. Sci. 2026, 16, 3260. https://doi.org/10.3390/app16073260

AMA Style

Kompara M, Nemec Zlatolas L, Turkanović M, Hölbl M. Importance of Cybersecurity Competencies in Higher Education and for Employers. Applied Sciences. 2026; 16(7):3260. https://doi.org/10.3390/app16073260

Chicago/Turabian Style

Kompara, Marko, Lili Nemec Zlatolas, Muhamed Turkanović, and Marko Hölbl. 2026. "Importance of Cybersecurity Competencies in Higher Education and for Employers" Applied Sciences 16, no. 7: 3260. https://doi.org/10.3390/app16073260

APA Style

Kompara, M., Nemec Zlatolas, L., Turkanović, M., & Hölbl, M. (2026). Importance of Cybersecurity Competencies in Higher Education and for Employers. Applied Sciences, 16(7), 3260. https://doi.org/10.3390/app16073260

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