The Department of Cybersecurity at Kharkiv National Automobile and Highway University is the university’s newest yet strategically important unit, established in 2025 to address the global challenges of the digital age. KhNADU is Ukraine’s leading institution of higher education in the fields of automotive transport, road construction, logistics, and engineering, and it was here that the idea arose to combine the university’s many years of experience in these areas with the latest cybersecurity technologies.

Today, the world is changing rapidly: cars are becoming “smart,” road machinery is becoming automated, and logistics processes are becoming fully digital. Along with this, the number of cyber threats is growing, which can affect traffic safety, the operation of road equipment, cargo transport control, and even the functioning of entire cities. That is why a department has been established at KNUCA to train a new generation of specialists—people capable of protecting automated, mechatronic, and robotic systems from unauthorized access and cyberattacks.

The department is launching a professional degree program in “Cybersecurity of Automated, Mechatronic, and Robotic Systems”—the first interdisciplinary G7 program in Ukraine (Automation, Computer-Integrated Technologies and Robotics, and F5 Cybersecurity and Information Protection), which combines engineering knowledge, IT competencies, and practical cybersecurity skills. The uniqueness of the program lies in the fact that it is designed specifically for the future of the transportation and road construction industries: students will learn not only to protect digital networks but also to prevent interference with road sensors, traffic control systems, logistics centers, “smart” vehicles, and equipment for road construction and maintenance. The educational program combines classical engineering, modern IT technologies, and practical cybersecurity skills. This is not just “computer security in the traditional sense”—it is training that builds the ability to protect against digital risks everything that moves, is built, or is coordinated using technology: from robotic road machines and traffic control systems to logistics centers and “smart” cars.

What makes the department unique is that it was established at KhNADU—a university that has been shaping the future of highways, transportation infrastructure, and construction equipment for decades. Here, there is a deep understanding that modern vehicles and roads are not just asphalt and metal, but also thousands of sensors, algorithms, and network solutions. The Department of Cybersecurity integrates this knowledge into a new dimension, as now it is necessary to protect not only physical objects but also data.

The curriculum includes a fundamental study of engineering disciplines, the basics of cybersecurity, programming, information systems security, risk management, and countering cyberattacks. At the same time, students will gain practical skills by working on tasks related to real-world challenges: how to protect an automated snowplow from software tampering, how to secure a logistics platform against cyberattacks, and how to prevent a “smart” road from shutting down due to a breach of the sensor network.

Despite the young age of the department, it is already forming ambitious plans. Currently, negotiations are underway on partnerships with IT companies, transport operators and road organizations to provide students with access to the latest solutions and real projects. The goal is to create a unique educational and research platform that will become a point of intersection of science, business and the public sector.

Future graduates of the department will be able to realize themselves in a wide range of professional areas: from cyber protection of transport systems and logistics networks to the development of information security strategies for government agencies and commercial companies. These will be new generation specialists who combine engineering thinking with expertise in the field of cyber protection - they will deeply understand the principles of operation of modern technological systems and will be able to ensure their reliable protection in the digital environment.

The Department of Cybersecurity at the KhNADU is a look into the future, where technology moves the country forward, and security remains an uncompromising priority. We are just beginning this journey, but we have every reason to believe that it is here that specialists will grow who will protect Ukraine's digital infrastructure and shape a new level of national security.

The department places a special emphasis on contributing to the digital reconstruction of Ukraine. The post-war development of the state will require secure logistics networks, "smart" roads, safe transport systems and digital services resistant to cyberattacks. Students and teachers of the department will become active participants in this process, creating solutions that will ensure not only the security of technologies, but also increase public trust in the country's digital infrastructure.

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