2022 was an incredible year for the University’s cyber credentials, and 2023 couldn’t have begun any better.
After clinching “Cyber University of the Year” at the National Cyber Awards 2022 for our commitment to cyber innovation, at the start of 2023, centre director for the Cyber Quarter Prashant Pillai received an MBE.
Professor Pillai says: “I was overwhelmed to have been included in this year’s awards for my contribution to cyber research – a subject that I’m passionately committed to and have endeavoured to highlight during my 20-year career in research.
“As the world becomes ever more reliant upon technology and smart systems to ensure the functionality of transport, financial tech, hospitals, data, and (one day) entire cities, it has never been more essential to understand and protect against threats posed by hackers and cyber criminals who want to do harm.”
The University offers a range of undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programmes in cyber security and computer science at the Cyber Quarter. Supported by the University’s cyber academic team from the Faculty of Science and Engineering, the centre offers product testing and certification, CPD and short courses, as well as cyber conferences such as last year’s Cyber Fringe Festival which attracted experts from across the globe.
The Cyber Quarter couldn’t be half as successful as it is without its team of world-class staff and contributors. Chris Woods, University of Wolverhampton alum, founder and CEO of CyberQ Group, collaborates closely with Prashant and gives back to the University by acting as an appointed member of the University’s Board of Governors. Last year, Chris won an Alumni Award for professional excellence.
Prashant says: “The expertise and specialist focus of our new centre is part of a wider, growing ecosystem of cyber sector companies based within the Cyber Quarter on Skylon Park in Herefordshire. The area is already home to a highly regarded cyber economy, and the knowledge, expertise and opportunities that the centre brings along with strong academic expertise at the University is helping to establish Herefordshire as one of the capitals of the cyber security sector.”
If you are interested in developing your knowledge of cyber security with some CPD or consultancy, or want to develop skills and awareness for your business, email: alumni@wlv.ac.uk
