ROUNDTABLE

This roundtable will explore how universities can prepare students and professionals to address evolving challenges in Security and Defence. The discussion will focus on educational models, innovative approaches to teaching and training, and international collaboration in higher education. Drawing on their experience, panellists will discuss current practices, share examples and identify opportunities to strengthen the links between academic education and professional needs in Security and Defence.

Marina Marchisio Conte

Marina Marchisio Conte is a Full Professor of Mathematics Education at the Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences of the University of Turin and coordinator of the research group DELTA (Digital Education for Learning and Teaching Advances). She serves as coordinator of the PhD program in Defense and Security Sciences, President of SUISS (Interdepartmental University School for Strategic Sciences), and is a member of the Scientific Commission of the UMI (Italian Mathematical Union). From 2020 to 2025, she served as the Rector’s Delegate for Digital Education, and she is currently the scientific representative for the University of Turin for the EDVANCE (Digital Education Hub for Higher Education) project. She contributed to the drafting of the European Commission’s Digital Education Action Plan 2021–2027. Her primary research interests lie in the field of Digital Education. She is the author of over 180 scientific publications in journals and conference proceedings, both national and international.

Antonio Del Gaudio

Born on 29 th April 1969 in Naples, he joined the Army in 1984 at the Military School “Nunziatella”. He entered the Military Academy in Modena with the 169 th Course, which he regularly completed in Turin in 1991, when he was commissioned as an Artillery 2 nd Lt.

Sofia Menezes

Sofia Menezes is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Administration and Leadership, Military Academy, Portugal. She is also Erasmus Coordinator. She holds a PhD in History, Defence and International Relations and a Masters in Science on Emotions. She is currently taking a PhD in Strategic Communication. She was the Scientific Coordinator in the Erasmus Strategic Partnership Project MGS - Military Gender Studies and has several specialisation courses in the fields of Gender Mainstreaming and Emotional Intelligence. Sofia gives training in the fields of Gender Studies, Cross-Cultural Communication, Leadership in Communication, Cultural Intelligence and Emotional Intelligence skills. Sofia directs a group of theater and has been an amateur actress for the past 25 years. She is also a Krav Maga practitioner and trainer.

Cristian Moldoveanu

Prof. Habil. PhD Eng. Cristian-Emil MOLDOVEANU graduated from the Military Technical Academy “Ferdinand I” in Bucharest in 2001 as an officer engineer specialising in Aircraft Weapons, Missiles, Ammunition and Rescue Systems. He progressed through academic and laboratory leadership positions and has been a Full Professor since 2022. Between 2004 and 2007, he conducted his doctoral research at the Institute of Fluid Mechanics of Toulouse, France. His teaching and research encompass fluid mechanics, aerodynamics, external ballistics and aircraft weapon systems. He served as Erasmus Institutional Coordinator from 2012 to 2018 and has been Vice-Rector for Interuniversity Relations since 2018, overseeing student and staff mobility with more than 60 military and civilian partner universities in EU and NATO countries. He is Vice-Chair for Technical Support of the Implementation Group of the European Initiative for the Exchange of Military Young Officers Inspired by Erasmus (EMILYO), within the European Security and Defence College. He previously chaired the International Technical Semester Line of Development, contributing to the internationalisation of technical defence education. He has contributed to national and international research projects and previously served on a working group of the NATO Science and Technology Organization’s Modelling and Simulation Group (NMSG). He is an evaluator for the Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ARACIS) and for Romanian national research funding competitions administered by UEFISCDI. His professional memberships include the General Association of Engineers in Romania (AGIR), the International Ballistics Society (ISB) and the European Association for International Education (EAIE).

Enrico Spinello

Enrico Spinello is a Researcher and Lieutenant Colonel of the Italian Army. He works in the Command for Education, Specialisation and Doctrine Training of the Italian ArmyCommand, Turin as Section Chief for University and Foreign/External relations and he is the SUISS – University Interdepartmental School for Strategic Sciences of the University of Turin – Coordinator for International Mobility. He holds a Master’s Degree and a 2nd Level Specialising Master Programme in Strategic Sciences. He was involved in several ERASMUS KA2 Projects: Digital Competences for Improving Security and Defence Education (DIGICODE), Military Gender Studies (MGS), Interdisciplinary Education and Training on Hybrid Warfare (HYBRID) and Digital Mathematics Applied in Defense and Security (DIMAS). He is the IT-Army Representative in the European Security and Defence College (ESDC) – Executive Academic Board (EAB) and Implementation Group (IG). He is a Vice Chair for Education of the IG and represents the IG in the Sectoral Qualifications Framework for the Military Officer Profession Executive Group (SQF-MILEG).

Mirela Vinerean-Bernhoff

Mirela Vinerean Bernhoff is a Senior Lecturer in Mathematics and Accomplished University Teacher at Karlstad University, Sweden. She is also a member of the Swedish National Committee for Mathematics under the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. Her research focuses on applied mathematics, STEM education, and the integration of digital technologies and artificial intelligence into mathematics teaching and learning.

Olga Degtiareva

Prof. D.Sc. Olga Degtiareva graduated with distinction from Odesa National Polytechnic University and subsequently studied at the University of Applied Sciences Augsburg (Germany) under a scholarship awarded by the Bavarian State Government. She conducted her doctoral research at the University of Applied Sciences Augsburg and the University of Genoa (Italy). As a visiting scholar, she has conducted research at leading academic institutions in Germany, Denmark, and Italy; as a Visiting Professor she delivered specialized courses at universities in Germany, Türkiye, Italy, and Kazakhstan. Her academic expertise lies at the intersection of economics, engineering, and energy transition. Her research focuses particularly on energy security, energy efficiency, energy management, and the economic implications of implementing artificial intelligence and cybersecurity solutions in the energy sector. A significant part of her work addresses the security and resilience of energy infrastructure, including the cybersecurity of energy grids. Her research achievements have received international recognition, including the 2024 IEEE TechDefense Best Paper Award, the 2025 Accolade of Excellence, and other distinctions. Olga Degtiareva has participated in internationally funded research and academic cooperation projects supported by NATO, Erasmus+, Horizon Europe, and other international programmes. She is currently professor at the Odesa National University of Economics and an Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Fellow, pursuing research on the digitalization of the energy transition and the resilience of Ukraine's energy infrastructure. She also serves as an expert for the Romualdo Del Bianco Foundation, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), and the Copenhagen School of Energy Infrastructure. In her capacity as Ukraine’s Scientific Ambassador, she actively promotes international academic partnerships, scientific exchange, and cooperation between Ukrainian and international research institutions.