The second edition of the School of Cyber Defense competition reached its final at GISEC GLOBAL 2026, bringing the strongest student cybersecurity teams in the UAE to Dubai Exhibition Centre, Expo City. Building on its 2025 debut, the competition came back larger in scale and tougher in format: this year, participants had to do more than defend systems. They had to design working solutions to real industry challenges.

The competition was hosted by the Dubai Electronic Security Center (DESC) and organized by Techfirm. It drew more than 350 applications from students at more than 30 universities across the country. The road to the final ran through three stages:

Qualification. More than 300 participants from over 90 teams completed an automated, scenario-based qualification round. Over 90% of active teams scored above the 70% threshold needed to advance.

Case challenge. More than 70 teams submitted solutions to one of 15 official challenge briefs. An expert jury assessed each submission on fit to the brief, relevance, a working prototype, technical depth and innovation.

Live final. Only the seven highest-scoring teams reached the GISEC stage, fewer than one in ten of the teams that submitted a case. Finalists presented and defended their solutions live in front of the jury. The finalists represented BITS Pilani Dubai, American University of Sharjah, Al Ain University, Middlesex University Dubai, University of Wollongong in Dubai, University of Dubai and Abu Dhabi Polytechnic.

Winners of the School of Cyber Defense 2026:

• 1st Place: Unlisted (Middlesex University Dubai)
• 2nd Place: AUSec (American University of Sharjah)
• 3rd Place: ADPoly CyberGuard (Abu Dhabi Polytechnic)

The competition featured a prize pool worth AED 55,000, shared among the winning teams.

The competition was made possible by partners committed to developing young talent and strengthening the region’s cybersecurity workforce. The Competition Industry Partners include AMD, Dahua Technology, Kaspersky, KERNO and M1 Global Infrastructure. The Competition Gold Partners are Anker Innovations, Circularo, HPE, Huawei, KnowBe4, RAS Infotech and Spire Solutions. Secureway is the Competition Silver Partner.

Now in its second year, the School of Cyber Defense has become a recurring platform where the UAE’s future cybersecurity professionals test their skills against the demands of the real industry.

Ilia Sheludiakov’s story begins with a single decision — one that set off a complete transformation, physical, intellectual, and philosophical. He shed over 40 kilograms, trained for and completed marathons, and built businesses from the ground up. But it was in the process of rethinking his relationship with time that he arrived at something bigger: Temporalism, a philosophy built on the belief that time isn’t a pressure to outrun, but a long-term ally to work with.

At its core, Temporalism reframes time as our most valuable resource — one to be used consciously, not spent carelessly. It’s a philosophy rooted in a simple but powerful idea: small, consistent actions, repeated over time, compound into transformations far greater than any burst of intensity could achieve. Whether in health, wealth, or personal growth, Sheludiakov argues that lasting change comes not from perfect decisions made once, but from good decisions made repeatedly, with patience enough to let them compound.

Temporalism speaks to anyone who feels time slipping away too fast, or who senses untapped potential in their own ambitions but struggles to turn intention into consistent action. It’s a call to make peace with time — and to start using it as a partner in building a meaningful life.

Sheludiakov will next present Temporalism at the Sharjah International Book Fair, introducing the philosophy to a wider international audience and connecting with readers from around the world.

What is the core idea behind Temporalism?
Temporalism is about treating time as your most valuable resource and learning to use it consciously. It focuses on making better decisions today with your future self in mind, while building a meaningful life through consistent action.

How does Sheludiakov’s weight loss tie into this philosophy?
My weight loss was one of the experiences that shaped Temporalism. I lost over 40 kilograms, but the biggest lesson wasn’t about weight — it was realizing how much small actions, repeated over time, can completely change your life.

Why does he believe consistency beats intensity?
Intensity can create quick results, but it’s difficult to sustain. Consistency compounds. A small action repeated hundreds of times can ultimately have a much greater impact than a short period of extreme effort.

What role does patience play in building wealth?
Patience is fundamental. In investing and business, I try to think in years rather than weeks. Wealth is rarely created by one perfect decision; it is usually built through good decisions, discipline, and allowing enough time for them to compound.

Who is this book meant for?
It’s for people who feel that time is moving too quickly or that they could be doing more with their lives. Especially those who have ambitions but struggle to turn them into consistent action.

Where will he present the book next?
I will be presenting Temporalism at the Sharjah International Book Fair, where I look forward to introducing the philosophy to a wider international audience and connecting with readers from around the world.

Nemetschek Arabia, part of the Nemetschek Group, one of the world’s leading software providers for the Architecture, Engineering, Construction and Operations (AEC/O) industry, is showcasing its vision for the future of facilities management at SFMA EXPO 2026, which is taking place at the Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Center (RICEC).

Participating as a Golden Sponsor, Nemetschek Arabia is demonstrating how connected digital technologies can help organizations improve operational efficiency, enhance asset performance, and support more sustainable outcomes across the entire facility lifecycle. Visitors to Booth G02 at the event will have the opportunity to explore solutions from Bluebeam, Spacewell, GoCanvas, and Nemetschek dTwin, each designed to help facility owners and operators connect people, processes and data through integrated digital workflows.

“Facilities management is becoming increasingly strategic as organizations seek new ways to maximize asset performance, improve sustainability, and deliver better experiences for occupants and stakeholders,” said Eng. Muayad Simbawa, Managing Director of Nemetschek Arabia. “The future of the sector will be defined by connected ecosystems where people, data and technologies work together seamlessly. Through our participation at SFMA EXPO 2026, we are demonstrating how digital twins, smart workplace solutions, connected workflows and real-time operational intelligence can help organizations unlock greater value from their facilities while supporting the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 ambitions.”

Empowering organizations to build smarter facilities

At the exhibition, visitors can experience how Bluebeam enables seamless collaboration across project and operations teams, helping stakeholders work more efficiently with accurate and accessible information. Meanwhile, Spacewell empowers smarter workplace and facility management through data-driven insights and intelligent operations, while GoCanvas streamlines field processes through digital forms and real-time data capture. And Nemetschek dTwin showcases the power of digital twins in transforming facility operations through real-time asset visibility, predictive maintenance and performance optimization.

As part of its participation, Nemetschek Arabia experts will also contribute to the event’s thought leadership program. Muayad Simbawa will participate in a panel discussion titled “Enhancing Organizational Performance: Hybrid Work Models, Data Analytics, and Advanced Management Technologies,” exploring how organizations can leverage emerging technologies and data-driven insights to adapt to a rapidly evolving business landscape. In addition, Ahmad Hisham Khairat, Regional Presales Engineer, and Ahmad Al Zaben, Technical Consultant, will share their perspectives on the role of BIM, digital twins and integrated digital ecosystems in transforming facility operations and management.

Further reinforcing its commitment to advancing the facilities management sector, Nemetschek Arabia is building on its strategic collaboration with the Saudi Facility Management Association (SFMA) announced earlier this year. The partnership focuses on accelerating digital transformation, knowledge exchange, workforce development and the adoption of innovative technologies that support smarter and more sustainable facilities across the Kingdom.

SFMA EXPO 2026 brings together facility management leaders, technology providers and industry experts from across the region to explore the trends, innovations and strategies shaping the future of the sector. Visitors can learn more about Nemetschek Arabia’s solutions at Booth G02 throughout the event.