Treffer: Teaching Cybersecurity and AI Across Borders: From Foundations to Ethics

This presentation examines how interdisciplinary course design in AI and cybersecurity can expand undergraduate research while directly supporting career readiness. At Lynn University, the Foundations of Cybersecurity & AI course was updated to serve as the entry point for both Cybersecurity and Data Analytics majors. The course integrates case studies, digital forensics and cloud security labs, and applied exercises with AI-enabled defense-in-depth strategies. Students build core technical competencies while engaging in course-based research that mirrors industry practice. As part of a Fulbright grant, a complementary course, AI & Ethics, was developed for the University of Tirana. Proposed as a mandatory course across disciplines, it introduces students to Python programming, AI tools, and ethical frameworks for technology use. Its design positions AI and ethics as a new form of digital literacy essential for all fields of study. Together, these courses demonstrate how cross-institutional collaboration, course-based initiatives, and interdisciplinary frameworks can embed authentic research opportunities, ethical inquiry, and career-focused skills into undergraduate learning. The session will share strategies for adapting this model across institutions, showing how U.S. and European experiences can inform sustainable pathways that prepare students to navigate the evolving challenges of AI and cybersecurity.