Kingston University obtains prestigious NCSC Gold Award for Cyber Security Education

Kingston University has been awarded Gold Standard for its Academic Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security Education (ACE-CSE) by the UK government’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) – a part of GCHQ. Kingston is one of just 16 universities in the country to receive a Gold Award, the highest accolade.

The ACE-CSE Gold Award recognises UK universities for exceptional, comprehensive cyber security education, including outreach, strategic leadership, and high-quality teaching.

Coordinated by co-directors Associate Professor Dr Eckhard Pfluegel and Senior Lecturer of Cyber Security and Digital Forensics Dr Deepak GC, Kingston University’s ACE-CSE has shaped an inclusive, future-ready cyber security curriculum. It has engaged with industry, national and local government, educators and local school pupils, educating them on best cyber security practices.

Education, outreach and community engagement

Kingston University’s ACE-CSE draws heavily on academics from across the University’s School of Computer Science and Mathematics. It delivers outreach sessions to the community, including to local primary and secondary schools, colleges, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and local government on how to stay cyber-safe.

The outreach sessions are tailored to different audiences. These range from primary pupils learning core cyber principles by building digital castles with Lego, to students from underrepresented backgrounds taking part in the University’s In2Stem cyber summer school, which introduces disadvantaged young people to careers in cyber security.

The academics have also been working with the University’s IT security team to develop mandatory cyber security and GDPR training for all Kingston University staff and students. This showcases the institution’s deep-rooted culture of institutional security and community outreach. The ACE-CSE has also contributed to, and collaborated with, many UK government-backed programmes including Cyber First, Cyber PATH and CSE Connect.

Investing in cutting-edge facilities

Recognising cyber security is a priority area for growth, Kingston University has significantly invested in new cyber security equipment, hardware and dedicated physical spaces, with a cyber lab featuring state-of-the-art computing equipment.

Advanced facilities, including a quantum key security space to teach post-quantum information security and a joint drone facility for students in the School of Engineering to study drone-enabled communications have also been established which, alongside the ACE-CSE’s rapidly expanding focus on artificial intelligence, shows the centre’s commitment to staying ahead of the curve on emerging technologies.

Team reflections

Reflecting on the University’s Gold Award, Dr Pfluegel said the recognition highlights the impact of Kingston’s sustained commitment to cyber security education. “As a team, we’ve worked really hard over the last few years to drive the highest standards in cyber security, both internally and externally. The comprehensive investments Kingston University has made in staff, facilities and the community see us stand as a vital regional and national hub for developing the next generation of cyber security professionals,” he said.

Dr GC noted that Kingston University has strengthened its cyber security education offering, supported by NCSC‑certified degrees, as demand for skilled specialists continues to rise in the wake of high profile cyber attacks on major organisations. “We’re seeing a huge demand for cyber security degrees across all levels at the University so we are looking at creating new courses in this area, while we have recently introduced an MBA entitled Cyber for Business Leaders in partnership with Kingston Business School to integrate business and technology,” he said.

NCSC Deputy Director for Cyber Growth Chris Ensor said: “I’m delighted that Kingston University has been recognised as a Gold Academic Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security Education (ACE-CSE) by the NCSC.

“Developing the next generation of cyber security professionals is vital to the UK’s digital future, and this recognition reflects the university’s commitment to delivering outstanding education and strengthening the cyber skills pipeline.”

• Find out more about studying cyber security at Kingston University.