Science for Practice: New Partnership Between the Critical Infrastructure Association of the Slovak Republic and the University of Žilina

16. októbra 2025

 On October 15, 2025, at the 28th International Scientific Conference on Crisis Management in Specific Environments, a memorandum of cooperation was signed between the Critical Infrastructure Association of the Slovak Republic (AKI SR) and the Faculty of Security Engineering of the University of Žilina. The document was signed by AKI SR President Tibor Straka and Faculty Dean Eva Sventeková.

The partnership creates space for connecting the application and academic spheres with the aim of bringing solutions usable in practice. Joint projects, research activities, and professional dialogue are to contribute to strengthening the security and resilience of critical infrastructure.

Expert Voice of AKI SR at the Conference

AKI SR confirmed its expert position also in the discussion part of the conference. In a panel dedicated to regulations in the area of safety & security, AKI SR Secretary Jaroslav Sivák presented. He focused on changes arising from the Critical Infrastructure Act and the Cybersecurity Act and explained their impacts on practice. He pointed out the need to harmonize legislative requirements with the real functioning of critical entities and the importance of professional partnership in implementing new measures.

Strategic Connection with the Academic Community

AKI SR is effectively developing cooperation with state administration bodies, research institutions, and universities. Connecting experts across sectors expands capacities for addressing complex issues in the area of critical infrastructure. The involvement of academic capacities enables bringing innovations, preparing risk analyses, and creating solutions corresponding to current challenges. The memorandum of cooperation with the University of Žilina is another step toward strengthening professional partnership between practice and the academic environment.

Oil Beneath the Surface: Why Crude Oil Extraction Is an Essential Service Even Though Slovakia Extracts Little

24. septembra 2026
We are continuing the series of expert articles by the Critical Infrastructure Association of the Slovak Republic, in which we gradually introduce the individual essential services listed in Annex No. 1 to Act No. 367/2024 Coll. on Critical Infrastructure. Having covered the operation of pipelines for the transport of crude oil and motor fuels, today we move one step upstream to a service that stands at the very beginning of the entire oil chain: crude oil extraction.

Ropa pod povrchom: prečo je ťažba ropy základnou službou, aj keď Slovensko ťaží málo

24. septembra 2026
Pokračujeme v sérii odborných článkov Asociácie kritickej infraštruktúry Slovenskej republiky, v ktorej postupne predstavujeme jednotlivé základné služby uvedené v prílohe č. 1 zákona č. 367/2024 Z. z. o kritickej infraštruktúre. Po tom, ako sme sa venovali prevádzkovaniu potrubí na prepravu ropy a pohonných látok, sa dnes posúvame o krok proti prúdu k službe, ktorá stojí úplne na začiatku celého ropného reťazca: ťažbe ropy.

What Did the Galileo Test on 16 September Show? Critical Infrastructure Must Know Whether It Can Trust the Navigation Signal

21. septembra 2026
On 16 September 2026, a test carried out in Norway demonstrated a new dimension of satellite navigation security. Europe’s Galileo system was tested under so-called spoofing conditions — a situation in which a receiver is fed a fake signal and may therefore receive incorrect information about its position.

Čo ukázal test Galilea zo 16. septembra? Kritická infraštruktúra musí vedieť, či môže veriť navigačnému signálu

21. septembra 2026
16. septembra 2026 sa v Nórsku uskutočnil test, ktorý ukázal nový rozmer bezpečnosti satelitnej navigácie. Európsky systém Galileo bol testovaný v podmienkach tzv. Spoofingu, teda situácie, pri ktorej je prijímaču podstrčený falošný signál a ten môže dostať nesprávnu informáciu o svojej polohe.

The Pipeline That Determines Oil Supply

14. septembra 2026
The Critical Infrastructure Association of the Slovak Republic continues its series of articles focusing on basic services under Act No. 367/2024 Coll. on Critical Infrastructure. This time, we look at a basic service that remains largely invisible to the public, yet its disruption can have an immediate impact on transport, industry and the wider economy – the operation of pipelines for the transportation of crude oil and fuels.

Potrubie, ktoré rozhoduje o dodávkach ropy

14. septembra 2026
Asociácia kritickej infraštruktúry SR pokračuje v sérii článkov venovaných základným službám podľa zákona č. 367/2024 Z. z. o kritickej infraštruktúre. Tentoraz sa venujeme základnej službe, ktorá zostáva pre verejnosť väčšinou neviditeľná, no jej výpadok môže mať veľmi rýchly vplyv na dopravu, priemysel aj fungovanie ekonomiky: prevádzkovaniu potrubí na prepravu ropy a pohonných látok.

A Substation as a Target: What the Latest Attacks on Germany’s Energy Infrastructure Tell Us

8. septembra 2026
Several incidents in the space of a single week. And in one case, 4.2 GW of generation capacity was temporarily taken offline. Germany is dealing with a series of attacks on its electricity grid that highlights one important point: the target does not necessarily have to be the power plant itself.

Rozvodňa ako cieľ: čo nám ukazujú najnovšie útoky na nemeckú energetickú infraštruktúru

8. septembra 2026
Niekoľko incidentov v priebehu jediného týždňa. A v jednom prípade dočasne vyradená výrobná kapacita 4,2 GW. Nemecko rieši sériu útokov na elektrickú sieť, ktorá ukazuje dôležitú vec: terčom nemusí byť samotná elektráreň.

Heat as a Critical Service: Where the Real Resilience of District Heating Systems Begins

5. septembra 2026
District heating and cooling are an important part of the energy infrastructure of cities and municipalities. Their role is not limited to providing thermal comfort; they create stable conditions for the functioning of households, public institutions, industry and other facilities. As energy systems become increasingly technologically complex, the importance of their reliability, preparedness and ability to respond to operational disruptions is also growing.

Teplo ako kritická služba: kde sa začína skutočná odolnosť teplárenských systémov

5. septembra 2026
Diaľkové vykurovanie a chladenie predstavujú významnú súčasť energetickej infraštruktúry miest a obcí. Ich úlohou nie je len zabezpečiť tepelný komfort, ale vytvárať stabilné podmienky pre fungovanie domácností, verejných inštitúcií, priemyslu a ďalších prevádzok. S rastúcou technologickou komplexnosťou energetických systémov zároveň rastie aj význam ich spoľahlivosti, pripravenosti a schopnosti reagovať na narušenie prevádzky.