Bridging the Digital Gap: Teaching Cyber Strategy and Policy through a Crisis Simulation.

This article focuses on an interdisciplinary simulation developed by the Center for Cyber Strategy and Policy (CCSP) at the University of Cincinnati to bridge the gap between information technology (IT) and social science approaches in cybersecurity education. The simulation engaged political science students in responding to a fictional national cybersecurity crisis involving cyberattacks on pharmaceutical companies during a pandemic, integrating realistic digital forensic techniques alongside policy debates on attribution, public–private cooperation, and international relations. Fielded in an intermediate-level cyber conflict course, the exercise demonstrated that non-technical students could meaningfully engage with complex cybersecurity issues, enhancing their understanding of cyberspace as a geopolitical domain and the challenges of cyber governance. The project also highlighted the benefits and challenges of interdisciplinary collaboration in creating authentic, active learning experiences that prepare students for multifaceted digital policy dilemmas.