Phantom’sLab in education

  • Educational institution: Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences
  • Name: Michael Drent
  • Role: Cybersecurity Coordinator and Lecturer
  • Why: We were looking for an innovative and engaging way to raise awareness about digital threats among our students. Phantom’s Game perfectly matched our need for practical, interactive education that goes beyond theory. The gameplay is current, thrilling, and genuinely speaks to students.

“The game uniquely blends excitement and education. Our students didn’t just understand cyber threats — they experienced them.”

Case summary

The challenge

Many students think they already know a lot about cybersecurity — especially within a focused program. We wanted to challenge them to apply their knowledge in realistic scenarios while confronting them with just how vulnerable you can be in practice. We needed something that didn’t feel like a typical classroom activity — but still offered meaningful learning.

The experience

Instead of a dry lesson, they dove into an exciting simulation where they acted as digital hackers. Over 75 students participated, and the responses were overwhelmingly positive: “Awesome!”, “Super cool!” and “I felt like a real hacker.”

They found the game thrilling, visually appealing, and surprisingly challenging. Even students who are usually hard to engage became intensely involved — which says a lot. Cyber Crime Game made abstract risks tangible and relevant.Most students reported gaining truly new insights — not just about technology, but especially about the human factor in cybersecurity. Social engineering, decision-making under pressure, and the structure of an attack — it was all covered.We now consider the game a valuable part of our curriculum. It has since been officially included in our program and is played annually by our students.

The outcome

Most students reported gaining truly new insights — not just about technology, but especially about the human factor in cybersecurity. Social engineering, decision-making under pressure, and the structure of an attack — it was all covered.

We now consider the game a valuable part of our curriculum. It has since been officially included in our program and is played annually by our students.

What other educational institutions say

“At Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, we wanted to kick off the academic year with something that would truly grab attention and set the tone. The Cyber Crime Game did exactly that, turning cybersecurity from abstract theory into an engaging, hands-on experience. It was interactive, surprising, and sparked valuable discussions among students. A powerful and memorable way to build awareness from day one.”

Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences

Ruben Julen

“At the University of Antwerp, we wanted students to go beyond theory and feel what cyber risk really means. The Cyber Crime Game offers exactly that – an immersive, realistic experience that sparks reflection, curiosity, and genuine awareness. It encourages students to think critically about their own digital behavior and vulnerabilities. It turns learning about cybersecurity into something truly memorable.”

University of Antwerp

Tim Apers

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