Yianna Danidou
Assistant Professor
Department of Communication and Internet Studies
yianna.danidou@cut.ac.cy
25002500
CV
Dr Yianna Danidou is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication and Internet Studies at the Cyprus University of Technology, specialising in privacy, cybersecurity, and digital governance, risk and compliance. She previously served as Chair of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at European University Cyprus. Prior to this appointment, she was an Assistant Professor of Cybersecurity and, earlier, a Lecturer in Cybersecurity at the same university. She also coordinated the MSc in Cybersecurity in both its conventional and distance-learning formats and founded and directed CYBER.EUC, the university’s cybersecurity competence centre.
She holds a PhD in Law [...]
Publications
Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles
Sánchez, J., Briones, A., Ricci, S., Čegan, J., Chatzopoulou, A., Danidou, Y., Menegatos, A., & Corral, G. (2026). A framework for designing and certifying ECSF-aligned cybersecurity training through cyber ranges and virtual learning environments. International Journal of Information Security, 25(2), Article 46. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10207-025-01202-0
Gavrielides, M., Meletiou-Mavrotheris, M., Paparistodemou, E., Danidou, Y., Solomonidou, G., & Hadjithoma, L. (2026). Enhancing teachers’ TPACK for data science in STEAM education: Insights from a pilot professional development programme in Cyprus. IASE Conference Proceedings Series. https://doi.org/10.52041/IASE25.136
Papachristofis, K., Vardoulias, G., Vavousis, K., Iordanou, C., & Danidou, Y. (2025). Developing cyber-resistivity maturity and scoring framework (CRMSF) for any size of organisation. International Journal of Information Security, 24(6), Article 242. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10207-025-01154-5
Meletiou-Mavrotheris, M., Bakogianni, D., Danidou, Y., Paparistodemou, E., & Kofteros, A. (2025). Investigating student teacher engagement with data-driven AI and ethical reasoning in a graduate-level education course. Education Sciences, 15(9), Article 1179. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15091179
Symeou, L., Louca, L., Kavadella, A., Mackay, J., Danidou, Y., & Raffay, V. (2025). Development of evidence-based guidelines for the integration of generative AI in university education through a multidisciplinary, consensus-based approach. European Journal of Dental Education, 29(2), 285–303. https://doi.org/10.1111/eje.13069
Ricci, S., Parker, S., Jerabek, J., Danidou, Y., Chatzopoulou, A., Badonnel, R., Lendak, I., & Janout, V. (2024). Understanding cybersecurity education gaps in Europe. IEEE Transactions on Education, 67(2), 190–201. https://doi.org/10.1109/TE.2023.3340868
Peer-Reviewed Book Chapters
Danidou, Y. (2025). ChatGPT, a life-changing phenomenon with cyber-security implications. In EU Digital Law in the AI Era (pp. 263–291). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-96743-6_14
Danidou, Y. (2021). Opening Pandora’s Box: IoT and cybersecurity aspects to consider while regulating. In EU Internet Law in the Digital Single Market (pp. 397–416). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-69583-5_17
Danidou, Y. (2020). Trusted computing initiative on the spectrum of the EU cyber-security legal framework. In T.-E. Synodinou, P. Jougleux, C. Markou, & T. Prastitou-Merdi (Eds.), EU Internet Law in the Digital Era: Regulation and Enforcement (pp. 277–296). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-25579-4_13
Peer-Reviewed Conference Publications
Danidou, Y., Ricci, S., Skarmeta, A., Hosek, J., Zanero, S., & Lendak, I. (2023). DJM-CYBER: A joint master in advanced cybersecurity. ACM International Conference Proceeding Series. https://doi.org/10.1145/3600160.3605002
Ricci, S., Sikora, M., Parker, S., Lendak, I., Danidou, Y., Chatzopoulou, A., Badonnel, R., & Alksnys, D. (2022). Job adverts analyzer for cybersecurity skills needs evaluation. In Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Availability, Reliability and Security. Association for Computing Machinery. https://doi.org/10.1145/3538969.3543821
Danidou, Y., Dimopoulos, C., Dobrinkova, N., Efstathiou, N., Finnie, T., Galatas, I., et al. (2017). Implementation of the IMPRESS project platform in real test-case scenarios. CMDR COE Annual Conference: Interagency Interaction in Crisis Management and Disaster Response, Sofia, Bulgaria.
Danidou, Y., Mitrou, L., Markou, C., Shiakou, L., Boustras, G., & Dimopoulos, C. (2017). Occupational safety and health, ethical, legal and data-protection issues arising from a technology-development project to improve the preparedness and response of health services in major crises. Next Generation Community Policing Conference.
Danidou, Y., & Schafer, B. (2011). Legal environments for digital trust: Trustmark, trusted computing and the issue of legal liability. In S. Mercado Kierkegaard (Ed.), Law Across Nations.
Danidou, Y., & Schafer, B. (2009). In law we trust? Trusted computing and legal responsibility for Internet security. In D. Gritzalis & J. Lopez (Eds.), Emerging Challenges for Security, Privacy and Trust (Vol. 297, pp. 399–409). Springer.
Danidou, Y. (2007). Legal implications of trusted computing. Proceedings of the 22nd British and Irish Law, Education and Technology Association Conference, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom.
Έρευνα
Research Interests
Dr Yianna Danidou’s research is situated at the intersection of cybersecurity, privacy, law, artificial intelligence, and digital governance. Her work adopts an interdisciplinary approach, examining how technological developments interact with legal, regulatory, ethical, educational, and societal frameworks.
Her principal research interests include:
- Cybersecurity governance, policy, and regulation
- Privacy and personal data protection
- Cybercrime and technology-enabled crime
- Digital forensics and electronic evidence
- Artificial intelligence and cybersecurity
- Legal and ethical implications of emerging technologies
- Cyber resilience and organisational cybersecurity maturity
- Cybersecurity education, skills, and professional competence frameworks
- Cyber ranges, simulation-based learning, and incident-response training
- Digital trust, trusted computing, and technological liability
- Online safety, crime prevention, and the protection of vulnerable users
- Data science education, responsible AI, and digital citizenship
A central strand of her research concerns the interaction between law, computer science, and emerging technologies, with particular emphasis on cybersecurity, cybercrime, privacy, electronic evidence, trust, liability, and the ethical challenges created by digital systems. Her more recent work also addresses cybersecurity education, workforce skills, cyber-resilience assessment, responsible artificial intelligence, and the integration of data-driven technologies into education.
Funded Research Projects
AICYROS – AI-Driven Cyber Risk Operational Shield
Period: October 2026–November 2029
Funding programme: Horizon Europe
Funding amount: €14,000,000.00
Role: Principal Researcher
A research and innovation project focusing on the development of AI-driven approaches for identifying, assessing, and managing cyber risk.
GIRLS2CYBER – Empowering Girls Aged 12–15 to Lead the Future of Cybersecurity Through an AI-Powered Learning Platform and Engaging School and Afternoon Activities
Period: October 2025–September 2027
Funding programme: Erasmus+ KA220-SCH
Funding amount: €250,000.00
Role: Principal Researcher
The project encourages girls aged 12–15 to engage with cybersecurity through an AI-powered educational platform and interactive school and extracurricular activities.
CADMUS – Cultivating Cybersecurity Defence Expertise with Mindful Readiness and Skills
Period: December 2024–November 2027
Funding programme: Digital Europe Programme – Cybersecurity Skills Academy
Funding amount: €6,292,541.60
Role: Researcher
CADMUS supports the development of advanced cybersecurity knowledge, professional readiness, and specialised cyber-defence skills.
CONVERT – Conversion Programme to Acquire the Digital Skills Needed by Forward-Looking Careers
Period: January 2024–December 2026
Funding programme: Erasmus+ KA2 Forward-Looking Projects
Total project funding: €899,693
Role: EUC Scientific Coordinator
The project develops educational and training pathways that support the acquisition of digital skills required for emerging professions and evolving labour-market needs.
DATASETUP – Promoting Data Science Education for Teacher Education at University Level
Period: January 2024–December 2026
Funding programme: Erasmus+ KA220-HED
Total project funding: €400,000
Role: Research Team Member
The project supports the integration of data science education into university-level teacher education and promotes the responsible pedagogical use of data and artificial intelligence.
DataScEd4CiEn – Data Science Education in STEAM for Civic Engagement and Social Justice from the Early Years
Period: January 2024–May 2026
Funding programme: Erasmus+ KA220-SCH
Total project funding: €400,000
Role: Research Team Member
The project develops educational approaches that connect data science and STEAM education with civic engagement, responsible citizenship, and social justice.
REWIRE – Cybersecurity Skills Alliance: A New Vision for Europe
Period: November 2020–October 2024
Funding programme: Erasmus+ Sector Skills Alliances
Total project funding: €3,968,978
Role: Principal Researcher
REWIRE addressed cybersecurity education and skills gaps in Europe and contributed to the development of training frameworks, labour-market intelligence, and competence-oriented educational approaches.
DJM-CYBER – Designing a Joint Master’s Programme in Cybersecurity
Period: February 2022–May 2023
Funding programme: Erasmus Mundus Design Measures
Total project funding: €55,000
Role: Project Coordinator
The project designed an international joint postgraduate programme in advanced cybersecurity, bringing together European higher education institutions and relevant cybersecurity stakeholders.
GRACE – Global Response Against Child Exploitation
Period: June 2020–July 2023
Funding programme: Horizon 2020
Total project funding: €6,999,650
Role: EUC Scientific Coordinator
GRACE developed technological, analytical, and investigative capabilities to support law-enforcement agencies in addressing online child exploitation and managing large volumes of digital evidence.
SAT-LAW – Strategic Assessment for Law and Police Cooperation
Period: August 2018–June 2021
Funding programme: European Union / DG ECHO
Total project funding: €725,710.65
Role: Research Team Member
The project examined strategic assessment mechanisms designed to support cooperation among law-enforcement, civil-protection, and justice-sector organisations.
DataPRO-SKILLS – Training Resources for Data Protection Officers
Period: September 2018–August 2020
Funding programme: Erasmus+
Role: Principal Researcher
The project focused on data-protection skills and the development of professional training resources for Data Protection Officers.
Research Leadership and Professional Service
Dr Danidou founded and directed CYBER.EUC, the cybersecurity competence and research centre of European University Cyprus, from 2021 to 2026. The centre promoted interdisciplinary research, cybersecurity education, international collaboration, professional training, and knowledge transfer in cybersecurity and digital transformation.
She has also contributed to national and professional cybersecurity bodies, including:
- Board Member of Women4Cyber Cyprus
- Member of the Advisory Board of the Cyprus Cyber Security Challenge
- Member of the Cyprus Cybercrime Centre of Excellence
- Member of national initiatives concerning cybersecurity and safer internet use
- Academic Member of the National Coordination Centre for Cybersecurity in Cyprus
- Member of professional and scientific advisory committees in cybersecurity and emerging technologies
- Editor of the Special Issue on Cyber Range, Incident Response, and Cyber Insurance in Critical Infrastructure, associated with the International Journal of Information Security
Her editorial and advisory roles include participation in cybersecurity education, cybercrime prevention, national digital-safety initiatives, and professional capacity building.
Teaching
Dr Danidou has extensive teaching experience in computer science, cybersecurity, information systems, privacy, and technology law. She has taught at undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral levels in conventional and distance-learning environments.
Postgraduate Courses
- Introduction to Cybersecurity
- Cybersecurity Governance, Policy and Law
- Research Methods
- Cybercrime and Legal Considerations
- Information Security and Risk Management
- Privacy, Data Protection, and Cybersecurity Regulation
- Master’s Thesis and Research Supervision
She was responsible for the development and organisation of course content and teaching material for core postgraduate courses in cybersecurity. She also coordinated the conventional and distance-learning MSc in Cybersecurity from 2019 to 2026.
Undergraduate Courses
- Introduction to Programming in C and C++
- Programming II in C++
- Introduction to Computing
- Computer Applications
- Management Information Systems
- Databases
- Operating Systems
- E-Commerce and the Internet
- Cybercrime and Legal Considerations
- Information Security and Cybersecurity
- Final-Year Project
Her undergraduate teaching has included both Greek- and English-language courses and the independent development of syllabi, learning activities, assessment material, and digital learning resources.
Supervision
- Supervision of master’s dissertations in cybersecurity, privacy, cybercrime, and related areas
- Supervision of undergraduate final-year projects in cybersecurity, privacy, and application development
- Contribution to postgraduate and doctoral research activities
- Academic advising and mentoring of undergraduate and postgraduate students
She has supervised at least seven master’s dissertations and regularly supervised three to four undergraduate final-year projects per academic year in cybersecurity, privacy, and software development.
Professional Training and Public Education
Dr Danidou has designed and delivered training and seminars for:
- Public-sector employees, in cooperation with the Cyprus Academy of Public Administration
- IT personnel and professionals, in cooperation with the Digital Security Authority
- Teachers and educational professionals
- Older adults and other potentially vulnerable online users
- Secondary-school students and young cybersecurity ambassadors
- Organisations seeking to improve cybersecurity awareness and resilience
- Members of the wider public
Indicative subjects include cybersecurity awareness, cyber risk, online safety, privacy, cybercrime, artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, and the legal and ethical dimensions of digital transformation.
Teaching Recognition
In 2024, Dr Danidou received the Excellence in Teaching Award from European University Cyprus for her contribution to high-quality teaching, innovative educational practice, and student engagement.
Experience
July 2026–Present
Assistant Professor
Department of Communication and Internet Studies, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Cyprus
September 2025–June 2026
Chair of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering
European University Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
September 2023–June 2026
Assistant Professor of Cybersecurity
European University Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
September 2021–June 2026
Founder and Director, CYBER.EUC Cybersecurity Competence Centre
European University Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
February 2019–August 2023
Lecturer in Cybersecurity
European University Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
2019–2026
Coordinator, MSc in Cybersecurity — Conventional and Distance-Learning Programmes
European University Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
January 2015–June 2026
Research Associate
Centre of Excellence in Risk and Decision Sciences, European University Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
September 2018–January 2019
Adjunct Faculty Member
Open University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
September 2014–January 2019
Scientific Collaborator
European University Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
Her academic appointments and research-centre roles include teaching, programme coordination, curriculum development, quality assurance, student supervision, research-project management, staff coordination, professional training, and the development of partnerships with academic, governmental, professional, and industry stakeholders.
Selected Leadership and Service
2024–Present — Board Member, Women4Cyber Cyprus
Participates in the leadership and development of the national chapter and contributes to initiatives that support women’s participation and professional advancement in cybersecurity.
2025–Present — Editor, Special Issue on Cyber Range, Incident Response, and Cyber Insurance in Critical Infrastructure
Participating journal: International Journal of Information Security.
2017–Present — Member, Advisory Board of the Cyprus Cyber Security Challenge
2016–Present — Member, Cyprus Cybercrime Centre of Excellence
2015–Present — Member, National and Cybersafety Initiatives for a Safer Internet for Children in Cyprus
5 June 2026 — Conference Founder and Coordinator
Conceived and coordinated the conference Skills for Digital Autonomy: Empowering a Resilient Society, bringing together European and national stakeholders and overseeing its programme, partnerships, sponsorships, speakers, communications, and overall implementation.
