LONDON, April 3 -- The University of Edinburgh has become the first in Scotland to be a government-approved center of excellence for cyber security research in Britain, it was announced Monday.
It joins 13 other British universities that were recognised by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) as meeting the required tough minimum standards.
As part of its national cyber security strategy, the government has selected academic centers to specialize in developing the latest cyber security techniques and contribute to Britain's increased knowledge and capability in the field.
The NCSC will work with the other universities over the next five years to continue to grow British academia's capacity and capability in cyber security research and to cement its position as an international leader in this area.
With NCSC-approved research moving into Scotland for the very first time at the University of Edinburgh, government cabinet minister Ben Gummer gave an address Monday to students on the campus, and spoke to leading academics about their work.
Gummer said: "The government is determined to make the UK the safest place in the world to live, work and do business online. That is why we need truly ground-breaking research to stay one step ahead of the growing threat of cyber attacks."
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."
Professor David Aspinall of the University of Edinburgh's School of Informatics said: "Our recognition as a center of excellence will bring fresh impetus to our research, to help make the digital world safer for everyone."
Underpinned by 2.37 billion U.S. dollars of investment, the national cyber security strategy sets out key cyber security objectives, including deterring hostile action against the UK and defending the country against evolving cyber threats.
