Frankfurt, March 3 2026. The Interconnection Academy, founded by DE-CIX and the Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF) Barcelona, and the Global Cyber Alliance (GCA) are partnering to expand free access to specialized training in networking and network security to help combat growing threats across the Internet ecosystem. The partnership serves an urgently needed educational purpose, with the World Economic Forum reporting that 56% of companies surveyed in their Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2026 are experiencing a shortage in cybersecurity expertise. And this, at a time when the global cost of cybercrime is expected to reach close to US $11 trillion in 2026, with AI expanding the volume and frequency of network attacks like Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS), address spoofing, and man-in-the-middle (MITM). In this context, GCA and the Interconnection Academy share a common mission: to build a safer, more resilient digital ecosystem through education, collaboration, and innovation.
Through this partnership, the Interconnection Academy, an online educational platform designed to increase understanding of digital infrastructure topics and train tomorrow’s interconnection specialists, and GCA – an international nonprofit organization that mobilizes collective action to tackle the Internet’s greatest challenges and build a safer digital world for everyone.– will enrich the offerings of their respective learning platforms by sharing selected content and training modules. The first module to be shared by GCA and hosted on the Interconnection Academy website is an introduction to the MANRS (Mutually Agreed Norms for Routing Security) initiative, a program designed to improve routing security and protect against address spoofing.
Empowering the next wave of connectivity professionals
The Interconnection Academy, founded in 2021 by DE-CIX – the world’s leading Internet Exchange operator – in partnership with the Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF) in Barcelona, is expanding its offering in 2026, with the third module in the Networking Basics series on the middle-layer protocols published in January, a further module on the interconnection ecosystem set to go online in April, and additional modules planned for later in the year. Through collaboration with partners across the ecosystem, the Interconnection Academy enables professionals at every level to embed interconnection into their IT environments and thrive in the digital economy. The academy actively partners with industry experts, businesses, and organizations to co-create high-quality, accessible learning materials that reflect the evolving landscape of interconnection and peering. Together, these efforts are building a diverse and growing library of resources designed to equip the next wave of connectivity professionals with the knowledge and tools they need to lead.
The Global Cyber Alliance envision a secure, trustworthy Internet that enables social and economic progress for all. GCA helps people reduce the risk they face online while working to solve systemic issues that cause online harm. It tackles problems that are too complex to solve alone—issues that demand leadership, creativity, and collaboration across borders and sectors. Its approach is to study the problem, identify the right people to chart a path forward together, and inspire others to join us in driving meaningful change toward a safer Internet for everyone.
Educational offerings for the challenges of today and tomorrow
“With the advent of AI, we are facing the newest industrial revolution, with many benefits but also a range of challenges in the area of network security,” comments Ivo Ivanov, Founder of the Interconnection Academy and CEO of DE-CIX. “Here, education platforms like the Interconnection Academy and the Global Cyber Alliance offer a valuable resource for people to ensure their knowledge and skills are relevant to the changing demands of the interconnected world.” Yolandi Cloete, Manager of the Global Interconnection Academy, agrees: “By aligning our efforts with those of the GCA, we aim to amplify cybersecurity awareness within the interconnection community, share trusted resources across platforms, and foster a global knowledge hub that equips professionals with the tools and insights needed to secure and strengthen interconnection infrastructure.”
“The Global Cyber Alliance’s Internet Integrity Program is built on the idea that the Internet is strongest when those who operate it work together to address shared, systemic risks. We’re excited to partner with the Interconnection Academy to advance initiatives like MANRS, where collective, operator-led action improves routing security and helps ensure a more resilient, trustworthy Internet for everyone.” said Leslie Daigle, Chief Technical Officer of the Global Cyber Alliance.
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About the Interconnection Academy
Founded in 2021 by DE-CIX in partnership with the Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF) in Barcelona, the Interconnection Academy is an online learning platform that prepares highly knowledgeable interconnection professionals by combining advanced technical, operational, and business-related knowledge. Its aim is to standardize the core knowledge of the interconnection industry. The academy seeks to provide a global standard certificate of excellence for interconnection experts through the transfer of both business and technical knowledge, and fill critical content gaps by transforming essential concepts into structured modules and courses. The Interconnection Academy actively partners with industry experts, businesses, and organizations to co-create high-quality, accessible learning materials that reflect the evolving landscape of Interconnection and Peering.
More information about the Interconnection Academy: https://interconnectionacademy.net/
About the Global Cyber Alliance
The Global Cyber Alliance (GCA) is an international nonprofit organization that mobilizes collective action to tackle the Internet’s greatest challenges and build a safer digital world for everyone. GCA is a 501(c)(3) in the U.S. and a nonprofit in the U.K. and Belgium.
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