Cyber Security research across the University of Warwick has been recognised as an “Academic Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security Research” (ACE-CSR) by the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).

The recognition was announced today by Ben Gummer MP, Minister for the Cabinet Office.

The Warwick Academic Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security Research brings together researchers from a number of University of Warwick departments in particular WMG, Politics and International Studies (PAIS), Computer Science, Warwick Business School, and several others.

Chris Ensor, Deputy Director for Cyber Security Skills and Growth at the NCSC, said:

“It’s fantastic to see so many leading universities committed to trailblazing improvements to the UK’s cyber security research, and it is particularly good to see Scotland represented for the first time.

“At the NCSC, we are absolutely committed to maintaining and improving our already strong reputation as a global leader in cutting edge research, and look forward to collaborating with these establishments to make the UK the safest place to live and work online.

“These universities conduct world class cyber security research and this initiative will improve the way academics, government and business work together – benefiting the whole of the country.”

Academic Centres of Excellence in Cyber Security Research (ACE–CSRs) are based at UK universities, which have been recognised as having an established critical mass and pedigree of good quality cyber security research.

The initiative is backed by the: the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), the Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS), GCHQ, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) part of Research Councils UK, the Office of Cyber Security and Information Assurance (OCSIA) in the Cabinet Office and the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI).

WMG’s Professor Carsten Maple will be the new Director of Warwick’s ACE-CSR. He said:

“There has never been a greater need for cyber security. As cyber and physical space continue to be integrated, and individuals, society, business and governments become increasingly dependent on cyber-physical systems, it is a timely that the government has increased resourcing for their protection and security. The Academic Centres of Excellent will have an important role to play in putting the UK at the fore front of cyber security research on the world stage, and ultimately secure systems nationally and internationally.

“The University of Warwick is delighted to be recognised for its contribution and this is part of its strategy to be the world’s leading single institution multidisciplinary research group for cyber security.”

The scheme is one of a number of initiatives outlined in the UK Government’s National Cyber Security Strategy ‘Protecting and Promoting the UK in a Digital World’. The Strategy describes how Government is working with academia and industry to make the UK more resilient to cyber-attacks.

The scheme aims to:

• Enhance the quality and scale of academic cyber security research and postgraduate training being undertaken in the UK

• Make it easier for potential users of research to identify the best cyber security research and postgraduate training that the UK has to offer

• Help to develop a shared vision and aims among the UK cyber security research community, inside and outside academia

Professor Tim Watson, Director of the WMG Cyber Security Centre (one of the leading research groups in the new Academic Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security Research at Warwick) said:

"Together with our partners in academia, government and industry we are developing the tools, techniques and underlying research that help to protect the digitally-controlled physical spaces that we all now inhabit. Being recognised as an ACE-CSR is both an acknowledgement of the work we have been doing and a challenge to do more. We welcome the challenge."

 The Minister for the Cabinet Office, Ben Gummer, said:

“Britain has to stay one step ahead of the often invisible cyber wars taking place on our networks, in our homes, and across our infrastructure.

“We can only do that with truly ground-breaking research. It is critical that the entire UK maintains its strength in this area, from London to Lancaster and from Belfast to Edinburgh.”