Oxford Martin School to host Government Cyber Security Centre

09 April 2013

I Stock_Henrik5000_Cyber_Security
© iStock/Henrik5000

Foreign Secretary William Hague announced today that the Government’s Global Centre for Cyber Security Capacity Building is to be based at the Oxford Martin School.

The Centre will become a leading global resource for understanding how to deliver effective cyber security, and will work with the UK and other countries to deliver a safer cyber space.

Foreign Secretary William Hague said: “Basing the new Global Centre for Cyber Security and Capacity Building in Oxford University’s Martin School will mean we are taking a positive and tangible step to coordinating efforts on cyber threats and cyber policies which will help protect the UK. We are dedicating £500,000 per year to this centre so it can be a beacon of expertise and put the UK at the forefront of cyber policy development.”

Director of the Oxford Martin School and Professor of Globalisation and Development at the University of Oxford, Ian Goldin added: “The Oxford Martin School’s purpose is to address critical challenges of the future. We are convinced that integrated thinking on cyber security is required. We are delighted to have the opportunity to host the Cyber Capacity Centre within our interdisciplinary community at the University of Oxford”.

The establishment of the Global Centre for Cyber Security Capacity Building is a key element of the UK contribution to international efforts to raise cyber security. Its research will help define global priorities for capacity building and it will work with a wide range of partners to ensure increased and more effective effort against the wide range of cyber issues and threats.

Sadie Creese, Professor of Cyber Security and Co-Director of Oxford Martin School’s Institute for the Future of Computing will head the new Centre. “We aim to make our research findings available to governments, communities and organisations in a manner which can define global priorities for cyber security capacity building; identify opportunities for mutual support and international development; stimulate investment in areas crucial to capacity building; and underpin the increase of their capacity in ways appropriate to ensuring a cyber space which can continue to grow and innovate in support of well-being, human rights and prosperity for all.”

Director of the IBM Institute for Advanced Security Europe, Martin Borrett also welcomed the announcement: “The Global Cyber Security Capacity Centre initiative is an exceptionally timely and important contribution to the activities of the global community seeking to secure cyberspace. The IBM Institute for Advanced Security Europe and our international operations look forward to working with Oxford and their partners to ensure a safe and sustainable cyberspace for all.”

Francis Maude, Minister for Cyber Security in the Cabinet Office, had announced the intention to establish a UK Global Cyber Security Capacity Building Centre at the Budapest Conference on Cyberspace in October 2012. Funding of £500,000 per annum is earmarked for the Centre for two years from the National Cyber Security Programme. Commenting on today’s announcement, Maude said: “Capacity includes having comprehensive national programmes and the policies, cooperation, skills and workforce, technology and expertise to tackle online threats and reduce harm, while ensuring cyberspace supports innovation, economic growth and social benefits. The range and depth of capacity required here and in other countries is considerable”.This announcement comes ahead of the G8 Foreign Ministers meeting on 10 and 11 April 2013.

The Global Cyber Security Capacity Building Centre objectives:

1. Creating and keeping up to date a critical guide to global expertise on cyber-security: through research to identify the full spectrum of cyber-security issues and where one can go for help and expertise to tackle cyber security issues.

2. Setting out what needs to be done to close gaps in the global response: by setting agendas and priorities for capacity building by region, country and organisation.

3. Identifying what works, what doesn’t and why, in cyber capacity building projects: setting out and encouraging the up-take of best practice and the sustainable development of cyber-security.

4. Increasing the supply of effective capacity building: through identifying public- and private-sector motives and stimulating funding, access to expertise and mechanisms for collaboration.