Abertay University has been named among the first eight UK universities to be awarded Academic Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security Education by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC).
Abertay University is the first university in Scotland to receive the Academic Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security Education Gold Award, along with Lancaster University, University of Southampton, University of South Wales, University of Surrey, University of the West of England and University of Warwick.
The announcement comes as the region receives £11.7m of UK and Scottish Government funding through the Tay Cities Region Deal, which will unlock major investment in Dundee’s cyberQuarter project which brings a new research and development center to Abertay’s campus in Dundee.
In granting Abertay Academic Centre of Excellence recognition, the NCSC recognized the plans for the Dundee cyberQuarter, which is designed to attract existing cybersecurity firms to Dundee, support the creation of new companies and boost the security and resilience of the Scottish business community, as well as the high quality of the University’s degree programs.
The Academic Centre of Excellence will become the pathway for Abertay students to interact with and benefit from the research and knowledge exchange activities of the cyberQuarter and its business links.
Professor Nigel Seaton, principal of Abertay University said: “Being named a UK Academic Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security Education and the launch of the cyberQuarter project will place the University and the city of Dundee at the heart of Scotland’s cybersecurity sector.
“We are confident that by combining academic expertise, student talent, enterprise support and industry knowledge in this way, we have all the ingredients for significant sectoral growth and new job opportunities, as well as innovation in research and business development.”
UK Government Minister Iain Stewart said: “Congratulations to Abertay University on this important and prestigious accolade from the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre. I am delighted that we are seeing Tayside go from strength to strength as a national hotbed of cyber research and innovation. The UK Government is supporting this through its £150 million investment in the Tay Cities Region Deal, which will create thousands of jobs and support our economic recovery from coronavirus.”
Chris Ensor, NCSC deputy director for Cyber Growth, said the first tranche of universities as Academic Centres of Excellence in Cyber Security Education complement its existing programs which recognize high quality cybersecurity research and degree courses.
“It is a testament to the continual efforts of academics, support staff and senior management that cybersecurity remains high on their agenda,” Ensor said. “We very much look forward to working with them over the coming years and strongly encourage other universities to work towards achieving similar recognition in the future.”