Why?

To stay safe and secure we need to take great care of our personal information, and that of our families, our colleagues and our community. This is true now, more than ever, as uncertain times and new ways of working bring new challenges.

Our personal and professional information and assets are fundamental to our work, our value and our reputation as an institution. This University-wide data security and information management programme is now underway to help us all improve our ways of working; it is a positive investment to ensure the security of our intellectual property, research, management, teaching and learning. We have a great team in place, including our own world-leading professional and academic experts in information management and data security. We have a very strong program of governance and process works that will enable us to implement changes, make progress, innovate and collaborate more securely.

The Programme will set clear, measurable milestones and targets to ensure that we are addressing the risks that have been identified by us and in the recent ICO audit. These targets will be closely monitored and reported to the University Executive Board via two newly-established, institution-wide, University information management committees, UIMC and UIMEC.

Am I involved?

This Programme will involve us all. If you use a Warwick staff card, a Warwick email address, access one of our staff or student record systems or share your Warwick work with colleagues within or beyond the University, you are involved in activities that carry risks in data security. We will be working across all groups and departments in the University to ensure that everyone is aware of what we have to do differently to reduce these risks to an acceptable level. Our colleagues in ITS have already gathered together key guidance on working safely from home here.

Our plans and the work that flows from them will need everyone’s commitment and action – especially as some measures will involve laws we have to follow. There will be lots of guidance and help available, with training and support and expert assistance, but the new standards of security must be adopted and those who consistently fail to do so may find themselves excluded from our systems.

Information on further activities, support and progress will shared in the coming weeks.