As Confidential Computing rapidly evolves from a niche capability to a foundational pillar of modern data security, universities face a growing need to prepare the next generation of engineers for a world where protecting data in use is as essential as securing it at rest or in transit. Driven by passion for the domain, its transformative impact and the lack of educational material, we, as a small group of experts on the topic, have developed and delivered an advanced Confidential Computing academic course for advanced degree level students in Ben-Gurion University. As now that course is planned for second cycle and also being adopted in other universities. This talk reflects on the practical challenges encountered, while bringing such a course to life, and explores why academic programs must begin integrating these technologies into their core curriculum.
A key challenge stems from the hardware-centric nature of Confidential Computing: limited availability of cutting-edge TEEs and secure processors for academic research, fragmented documentation, and varying levels of SDK maturity make hands-on learning difficult. Emulation environments, while helpful, introduce their own inaccuracies and constraints. Moreover, bridging theoretical use cases with real-world deployment realities often reveals gaps between academic expectations and industry capabilities. The course introduces various Confidential Computing techniques from cryptography-based solutions down-to HW based Trusted Execution Environments, covering different types and vendors, from the theoretical principles down to hands-on experience.

Despite these obstacles, the return on investment for academia is substantial. Embedding Confidential Computing as a core course accelerates technology maturation, creates deep familiarity among emerging engineers, and fosters innovation that can spark new solutions—and even future startups.

The talk concludes with a call to action: to broaden global support for such courses by open-sourcing teaching materials, contributing to shared curricula, and enabling access to hardware platforms and lab environments. By collaborating across academia and industry, we can empower students, advance the ecosystem, and strengthen the future of secure computing.