Cybersecurity Policy
Program Overview
The Postgraduate Diploma in Cybersecurity Policy is a cutting-edge academic credential offered by the Bandaranaike Academy for Leadership and Public Policy (BALPP), designed to prepare professionals, policymakers, and institutional leaders for the fast-evolving landscape of digital threats and national security challenges. In an era where cyber incidents can destabilize economies, undermine democracies, and endanger critical infrastructure, the need for informed, strategic, and policy-savvy leadership has never been more urgent.
This one-year program provides participants with a comprehensive understanding of the policy, governance, and legal dimensions of cybersecurity, framed within a broader understanding of national security, digital sovereignty, and international relations. It blends conceptual clarity with policy tools, equipping leaders not only to understand cybersecurity risks but to respond with foresight and strategic direction.
Why Cybersecurity Policy?
Cybersecurity is no longer the exclusive domain of IT departments. From election interference and online radicalization to the targeting of state infrastructure and digital misinformation, the threats are multidimensional and deeply political. Policymakers, defense planners, corporate leaders, and public administrators must be equipped to grapple with these emerging risks.
The Postgraduate Diploma in Cybersecurity Policy provides a policy-focused framework for understanding the technological, legal, and strategic implications of cybersecurity, and prepares a new generation of Sri Lankan and regional leaders to engage with these challenges responsibly and effectively.
Program Objectives
Develop Strategic Cyber Policy Leaders with the capacity to anticipate, mitigate, and govern digital risks in the public interest.
Bridge the Gap Between Technology and Policy, enabling participants to collaborate with technical experts while maintaining oversight of governance and legal frameworks.
Strengthen Institutional Resilience by building internal cybersecurity awareness, risk management systems, and incident response strategies.
Promote Democratic Values in digital governance, ensuring that national cybersecurity strategies align with human rights, data protection, and rule-of-law principles.
Enable International Engagement, particularly with frameworks around cyber diplomacy, global standards, and cross-border threat intelligence.
Target Audience
This program is intended for professionals at the intersection of public administration, national security, technology, and governance. Participants may include:
Officers in the armed forces, police, and intelligence services
Government officials from ministries of defense, digital infrastructure, and foreign affairs
Corporate executives and cybersecurity managers in critical sectors
Legal professionals and compliance officers dealing with digital regulation
Researchers, journalists, and civil society practitioners concerned with digital rights and information warfare