Education and research Initial situation Education and research are basic requirements for successful implementation of the National ICT Security Strategy. In this context, attention is drawn to two key issues: training in ICT security and media competence and national ICT security competence in teaching and research. Today the use of ICT may be described as the “4th cultural technique” (besides reading, writing and arithmetic). ICT and, closely associated with it, ICT security, and media competence should therefore be covered in early schooling. ICT (security) skills need to be incorporated into courses and curricula of teaching colleges and universities as well as further education and training programmes. ICT security issues often reflect a lack of know-how of the developers involved. As ICT is an area in which knowledge becomes obsolete very rapidly, continuous further training and qualification programmes are a prerequisite for ICT employee retention and productivity, but are also important for target groups in the private sector, sole proprietorships and small and medium-sized enterprises not involved in the technology sector. The training of ICT security specialists in the tertiary education sector is another area of crucial importance; Austria is able to build on existing high-quality study and training programmes. A successful ICT Security Strategy is also reflected in research. On the one hand, research serves as a basis for training at the highest international level of qualification (“research-driven teaching”). On the other hand, the availability of know-how in a country is a prerequisite for sustaining developments important for national needs and preparing decision-making processes in matters of national interest. It is therefore important to increase the number of security research institutes, to intensify networking, and to ensure that ICT security issues are incorporated into applied ICT research 20 to a greater extent. Austria’s advance to become a knowledge and innovationbased society will be supported by the creation of structures complementing existing comprehensive security research programmes such as KIRAS (an Austrian programme promoting security research) as well as active theme leadership in EU research programmes. This will help establish ICT security as an “export product”. Strategic objectives and measures Objective 1: Education in ICT, ICT security and media competence in early school grades Hypothesis: Attacks on ICT infrastructures through inadequately protected private systems as well as the individual’s loss of privacy may be prevented on a longterm basis only if the citizens have a wider understanding of ICT security and ample skills in using the new media. This understanding needs to be developed at school as early as possible. Strategic objective: ICT and ICT security must be incorporated to a greater extent into school curricula and daily teaching practices from primary school level onwards. It is a medium-term goal that each individual’s familiarity with the use of modern media can be taken for granted— this is not only in the interest of the citizens but also the basis for protecting national infrastructures. Measures Incorporating ICT, ICT security and media competence in curricula to a much greater extent: The use of ICT and new media as well as ICT security have to become an integral part of the curricula of all types of schools. These issues must be covered by a compulsory subject to improve media