Roke becomes founding member of GCHQ-supported Cyber Security Academy

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The University of Southampton has launched a new Cyber Security Academy, which will be announced at the IA15 event in London, hosted by GCHQ. Roke Manor Research (Roke) is one of three founding members from world-leading cyber and defence organisations, which aim to make the UK more resilient to cyber-attack.

The shared vision for the Cyber Security Academy is to become an internationally recognised hub for cyber security activity and it is one of the first examples of the UK Government's CyberInvest initiative. Roke will connect its cyber research activities, industrial expertise and training capacity with the other Cyber Security Academy partners from academia, government and industry.

David Cole, Managing Director of Roke, said: "In order to meet the demands of an increasing cyber security threat, the UK needs a continual flow of high quality engineers and consultants to protect our critical infrastructure and enterprises, and to protect personal data. The Cyber Security Academy partners will work together to drive forward the UK's cyber capability and talent - attracting and developing world class experts into the cyber security industry, facilitating technology innovation, creating new opportunities and driving UK productivity."

The Cyber Security Academy will provide a stream of cyber security graduates to industry, and train the existing workforce through an industry-relevant cyber security programme. It will also lead innovative research, consultancy and enterprise activities, creating new employment opportunities by attracting companies and talented individuals interested in cyber security and related sectors.

Professor Vladimiro Sassone, Director of the Cyber Security Academy at the University of Southampton, said: "The increasingly alarming statistics on cyber-attacks, such as the recent TalkTalk data hack, make the Academy a timely initiative fully aligned with the UK National Cyber Security Strategy. With society growing ever more cyber-dependent, cyber security calls for systematic innovation through a closer interaction between industry and academia."

Roke joins the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) and Northrop Grumman as the founding partners of the Cyber Security Academy, which is based in the Academic Centre of Excellence for Cyber Security Research (ACE-CSR) at the University of Southampton. The University of Southampton is one of just 13 Academic Centres of Excellence in Cyber Security Research, leading the national agenda to protect against cyber threats. The University of Southampton was awarded ACE-CSR status in November 2013 by GCHQ with a remit to extend knowledge through original research and provide high-quality graduates in the field of cyber security.