The Minister met students at the ‘Next Generation Cyber’ cyber security showcase, to talk about their final year undergraduate projects, plans after graduating, and their journey into cyber security.
She also took part in a roundtable with regional industry leaders and Sheffield Hallam experts, exploring the latest challenges and opportunities in cyber security, skills development, and innovation, as well as the importance of partnerships between government, academia, and business in building a secure digital future.
Furthermore, the Minister met with experts from Sheffield Hallam’s award-winning Centre of Excellence in Terrorism, Resilience, Intelligence and Organised Crime Research (CENTRIC). Led by Professor Babak Akhgar OBE, the Centre works with law enforcement agencies and others across the globe to counter cyber threats to security.
Cabinet Office Minister Abena Oppong-Asare MP said: “It was fantastic to visit Sheffield Hallam to meet so many talented students, industry leaders and experts working in cyber in Yorkshire.
“It is crucial that the government can work with industry and academia, through initiatives such as CyberFirst, to create a skilled and diverse cyber workforce that will further strengthen our resilience, at such a critical time for our national security. Just last week at CyberUK, we announced action to boost our country's cyber security, helping to grow the economy and create jobs through the Plan for Change.”
Dharmendra Shadija, Head of School - Computing and Digital Technologies, said: “We were delighted to welcome Minister Oppong-Asare to Sheffield Hallam and showcase the innovative work taking place in cyber security across our university and region.
“Her visit highlights the importance of collaboration between government, academia and industry in developing the skills and knowledge needed to tackle the evolving challenges in cyber resilience.
“Our students and staff are at the forefront of this effort, and it was inspiring for them to share their work and aspirations with the Minister as we collectively work towards a safer digital future.”
In attendance at the roundtable was Michael Faulks, Director, Yorkshire Cyber Security Cluster, Ali Malik, Co-Founder and Director, Cyber Alchemy, Stephen Leach, Head of Business Development, The North East Business Resilience Centre and Will Collison, Cryptography Technical Director, HSBC, as well as representatives from Sheffield Hallam’s School of Computing and Digital Technologies.
Abena Oppong-Asare MP is the Parliamentary Secretary at the Cabinet Office. She is responsible for national security, resilience and civil contingencies. Abena’s role supports the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Pat McFadden MP, who also has responsibility for national security, resilience and civil contingencies, including cyber security.