At the 2024 Cyber Security Education Ecosystem Conference organised by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC, part of GCHQ), held at the Queens Hotel (Leeds) on 12th and 13th March 2024, the most recently recognised Academic Centres of Excellence in Cyber Security Education (ACEs-CSE) received their certificates from Chris Ensor, NCSC’s Deputy Director for Cyber Growth. The University of Kent, represented by its ACE-CSE Director Dr Virginia Franqueira, who is also Deputy Director (Education) of the University’s Institute of Cyber Security for Society (iCSS), received its Gold Award certificate.
Dr Virginia Franqueira said: “Currently, only twelve universities in the UK hold an ACE-CSE Gold Award and three hold a Silver Award. This recognition represents a milestone for us and a boost of confidence to continue pursuing our exciting and ambitious plans for cyber security education, up-skilling, awareness-raising, and training of the current and next generation of professionals and individuals.”
Professor Shujun Li, Director of iCSS and the University of Kent ACE-CSE’s Deputy Director, said: “Receiving the ACE-CSE Gold Award certification makes the University of Kent one of only seven UK universities with an ACE-CSE Gold Award and also an ACE-CSR (Academic Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security Research) recognition. At Kent, a lot of things we do on cyber security combine research and education, e.g., research work on how to better help people at all ages learn about cyber security and online safety. It is our belief that education and research in cyber security should come together more closely, and there are good ways to achieving that.”