- The UK Government has launched its new UK Cyber Strategy.
- The partnership approach that UKC3 supports through regional cyber cluster collaboration was recognised as a major theme, involving a “Whole of Society” approach.
- Cyber clusters play an important role in driving cyber skills growth, essential for enabling innovation in the cyber sector.
Wednesday, 15 December, UK Cyber Cluster Collaboration (UKC3) joined the UK Government at the launch of the National Cyber Strategy 2022, delivering a panel discussion on “The role of Clusters in building a thriving UK Cyber Ecosystem” with insights provided by cluster leads from Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and England
As part of the goal of strengthening the UK’s cyber ecosystem, the strategy acknowledged UKC3’s role in driving integrated regional cyber networks across the UK and enabling stronger partnerships between government, businesses and academia, for the purpose of supporting sectoral growth. The strategy also stipulated that the government will work with the regional cyber clusters and the newly established UKC3, as well as with the growing number of regional cyber innovation centres and Cyber Resilience Centres to strengthen links between local businesses, academic centers of excellence and law enforcement.
An important direction of the National Cyber Strategy 2022 was adopting a “Whole of Society” approach to addressing cyber challenges, indicating that cyberspace is now integral to the future security and prosperity of the nation.
Aligned with the UKC3’s objectives for developing the cyber security ecosystem through cyber skills growth and innovation, the strategy recognises the breadth and depth of cyber talent and research capability within the regions of the UK and the important role that cyber clusters will play in tapping into this to drive innovation.
Referring to the role of the UKC3 in developing the National Cyber Strategy 2022, Richard Yorke, Chair of UKC3 said:
“The importance of collaboration and partnership working is a theme that runs throughout the strategy, underpinning the “Whole of Society” approach. If we get this right, it will bring greater diversity of talent and the new ideas and perspectives that are crucial to innovation and growth in the sector.”
Streamed virtually from Birmingham, the launch of the National Cyber Strategy 2022 builds on its successor, the 2016-21 National Cyber Security Strategy, which focused on tackling and managing cyber threats, to provide a more holistic approach with greater importance given to developing cyber skills, driving innovation and growing the UK’s commercial cyber sector. All of this echoes the UKC3’s focus and that of the clusters themselves.
The strategy highlights opportunities to build a thriving cyber sector, through collaboration across the regions and nations of the UK, an approach which sits at the heart of the UKC3 and the cyber cluster network. The role of UKC3 in enabling regional cyber clusters to drive collaboration, innovation and skills growth is acknowledged as an important success factor in strengthening the UK as a responsible, global cyber power.
To find out more about UK Cyber Cluster Collaboration (UKC3), please visit here, or follow UKC3 on LinkedIn or Twitter.
