On 18–19 June 2026, an intensive training for students was held at the Kyrgyz National University named after J. Balasagyn as part of the initiative “Digital Shield Across Generations: Countering Disinformation and Strengthening Women’s Digital Civic Resilience in Kyrgyzstan.”
The training took place in the KNU Smart Classroom and was aimed at preparing student digital mentors who will further provide practical support to project participants on issues related to digital safety and countering disinformation.
A total of 20 students of the Kyrgyz National University took part in the intensive training. They received training on key topics of the contemporary digital environment, including media literacy, recognition of fake news and information manipulation, fundamentals of cybersecurity, social engineering, online fraud, safe use of messengers, account protection, and digital hygiene.
Over the course of two days, experts in media literacy, cybersecurity, and digital safety conducted practice-oriented training sessions for the students.
The practical sessions enabled students to develop mentoring skills, learn how to explain complex digital topics in simple and accessible language, and practice approaches to working with older audiences. The trained digital mentors will later be involved in the activities of the initiative and will provide support to faculty members and university staff on the safe use of digital services.
The Digital Shield Across Generations initiative is aimed at strengthening digital resilience, developing critical thinking skills, and enhancing citizens’ ability to recognize disinformation, online fraud, and digital threats. A special focus of the project is placed on supporting older women, members of the academic community, and students as promoters of digital literacy.
The training marked an important stage in the launch of the initiative at the Kyrgyz National University. The preparation of student mentors creates a foundation for further peer-to-peer work, in which young participants help older generations use digital technologies more confidently and safely.
The initiative is implemented within the framework of the project “Digital Shield Across Generations: Countering Disinformation and Strengthening Women’s Digital Civic Resilience in Kyrgyzstan” with the support of the Regional Support Mechanism for Eastern Europe and Central Asia under the Digital Democracy Initiative.
(С) А.A.Imashova — Lecturer at the Kyrgyz-Chinese Institute of the Kyrgyz National University, Initiative Coordinator
