International Collaboration to Align Cyber Security Bodies of Knowledge
Published: 22 Oct 2025, 7:29 a.m.
A new initiative is being launched across the UK and Singapore to address the barriers in harmonising international frameworks for cyber security education and professional training.
The collaborative project, Cyber Security in Singapore and the UK: Exploring the Synergies between the Existing Bodies of Knowledge, will bring together experts from CyBOK (Cyber Security Body of Knowledge) led by the University of Bristol, and IS-BOK (Information Security Body of Knowledge), a professional framework developed in Singapore.
The initiative is being funded by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), and will examine how these frameworks can complement each other in advancing the global professionalisation of cyber security.
CyBOK is an internationally adopted framework developed through contributions from over 110 leading experts across academia, industry, and government. It codifies foundational cyber security knowledge across 21 key areas, drawing from academic research, industry practice, and international standards. CyBOK is designed to inform and underpin education, training, and professional development, bringing coherence and consistency to cyber security as a discipline. IS-BOK, developed by the Association of Information Security Professionals (AiSP), supports professional development and certification pathways in Singapore. Together, they contribute to strengthening cyber security capabilities through structured knowledge and skills development.
The collaboration will be jointly presented at Singapore International Cyber Week 2025, taking place from 20–23 October, where representatives from CyBOK and AiSP will share initial findings and outline the project’s vision for a more interconnected and agile cyber security ecosystem.
Why this collaboration matters
With cyber threats growing in scale and complexity, there is a need to address the global shortage of cyber security professionals. However, differences in frameworks and certification systems can slow down the recognition of qualifications and hinder international mobility for cyber security professionals.
This project seeks to address these challenges facilitating the exchange of knowledge and best practices, with the goal of laying the groundwork for simplifying and accelerating the recognition and cross-mapping of international diplomas, certifications, and qualifications. Ultimately, this will help support the future mobility of skilled cyber security professionals, who are in high demand and short supply globally.
By fostering knowledge exchange and building bridges between frameworks, this initiative aims to contribute to a more resilient and globally connected cyber security profession.
Notes
This international collaboration is led by Dr Yulia Cherdantseva, Reader in Cyber Security at Cardiff University and a member of the CyBOK Executive Board since 2021. Dr Cherdantseva is responsible for CyBOK’s international strategy and leads the comparative work between CyBOK and the IS-BOK.
Professor Awais Rashid, Principal Investigator of CyBOK and Professor of Cyber Security at the University of Bristol, provides strategic oversight of the initiative.
On the part of IS-BOK, the project is led by Professor Steven Wong, Professor at the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT).
