Challenges to national defence in contemporary geopolitical situation

This paper traces cryptology and cybersecurity education and research at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, from the late-1980s CRYPTO seminar to the 2024/25 launch of a Cybersecurity master's specialization. We outline the bachelor's and master's curricula, research supported by three NATO Science for Peace and Security projects on post-quantum cryptography, and student engagement through theses, the Locked Shields exercise, and the new Cybersecurity Competence Centre. Enrolment in security specializations grew from 15% in 2022 to 43% in 2026, suggesting the 2024 restructuring was well-timed.