From November 20 to 24, 2023, ACOA chairman, employees and Cyberpoint head and employees which is a member of the ACOA Board of Directors undertook a visit to the Republic of Romania. The visit was part of the project "Visit of Cybersecurity Experts to International Cybersecurity Centers," supported by the National Cybersecurity Directorate of the Republic of Romania.

During the first day of the visit, which took place within the framework of the TAIEX (Technical Assistance and Information Exchange Tool) project funded by the European Commission, the delegation engaged in discussions with Mr. Dan Cimpean, the Head of the National Cyber Security Directorate of the Republic of Romania, along with deputy directors Mrs. Maria-Manuela Katrina and Mr. Gabriel Dinu. Additionally, meetings were convened with relevant staff members of the Directorate. The exchanges centered around sharing insights into the cybersecurity landscapes of the respective countries, detailing recent advancements in legal, organizational and technical domains. Recognizing the paramount importance of enhanced cooperation for more effective cybersecurity measures, deliberations also focused on potential avenues for collaboration.

As part of the visit, meetings were also held at Babes-Bolyai University, located in the city of Cluj, which is considered the "Silicon Valley" of Romania. In the meetings held with the university management and teaching staff, the delegation received insights into the institution's history, faculties, research centers and its educational and research initiatives in cyber security and the fight against cybercrime. Details on the university's international relations were also shared.

During these discussions, ACOA Board Chairman Elvin Balajanov elaborated on the educational and research endeavors undertaken by Azerbaijani higher education institutions in the realms of information security and cyber security. He highlighted projects implemented by the Association and efforts to strengthen the ties between educational institutions and industry. Additionally, a meeting with Azerbaijani students studying at the university provided an opportunity for exchanging thoughts and experiences regarding their education, the research environment and the training and career prospects facilitated by ACOA.

In the course of the visit to Cluj, the delegation engaged in meetings with key players in the Republic of Romania's expansive IT landscape, including representatives from significant IT clusters like "Cluj IT Cluster" and "Transylvania IT Cluster." These sessions provided comprehensive insights into the clusters' membership, services, solutions and opportunities, shedding light on collaborative efforts between the clusters and ACOA along with its members. Furthermore, discussions unfolded around potential future perspectives for cooperation.

Additionally, the delegation familiarized themselves with the operations and capabilities of the 5G and security laboratories at "Orange" company, gaining valuable insights into the company's activities in these domains.

During the meeting held at the Bucharest Polytechnic University, information was presented to the delegation about the educational and research opportunities of the university in the field of information security and cybersecurity, including quantum computing. Discussions were held on the possibility of Azerbaijani students benefiting from the educational program offered by the university at the master's level in the field of quantum computing.

In addition to the aforementioned activities, a session took place at the headquarters of Bitdefender, a prominent cyber security company in Bucharest, where the delegation received a comprehensive overview of the company's activities and capabilities. During this meeting, ACOA Board Chairman Elvin Balajanov and ACOA Board Member Fuad Niftaliyev, who serves as the director of "Cyberpoint" company, briefed Bitdefender representatives on ACOA and its member companies. Discussions centered around potential avenues for collaboration between Bitdefender and ACOA, exploring opportunities for mutual cooperation.

As part of the visit, B2B-format meetings were arranged with various companies and startups, including "Safetech Innovations," "BitSentinel," "CyberEDU," "National Center for Cyber Security Training Excellence (CSTCE)," "Arcana.ai," "OPSWAT," "AI Vision," "Zevo Tech," "Hackout," and others. The delegation received detailed presentations on the services and solutions offered by these companies and startups.

During the final two days of the trip, the delegation actively engaged in the DefCamp 2023 conference, the largest cybersecurity conference in Central and Eastern Europe. They attended diverse presentations in the field and explored the offerings of numerous local companies and startups showcased at the organized exhibition, gaining insights into the services and solutions provided by these entities.