Queen's University Belfast - Revolutionising online security

The Institute of Electronics, Communications and Information Technology at Queen’s University Belfast is home to a cutting-edge cyber security cluster that has created 2300 high value jobs and built a new UK skills pipeline of graduates and researchers.  

The Centre for Secure Information Technology (CSIT) has established a new Masters degree course in Applied Cyber Security and its unique membership model has supported the development of long-standing advisory and industrial collaborations with global partners including Allstate, BAE Systems, EBay, FDTechnologies, Seagate and Thales.  

CSIT membership provides companies or organisation with the opportunity to leverage up to £30 million of research and knowledge transfer services, favourable IP exploitation and the ability to influence the direction of the research within the centre. This ensures that there is a strong market pull element to the research activity, thereby increasing the likelihood of successful knowledge transfer.  

Since it was established in 2009, CSIT has been a critical resource in establishing and promoting Northern Ireland as a leading UK cyber security innovation ecosystem through spinout commercialisation of research, the scale-up of local and regional businesses and attracting foreign direct investment. CSIT’s regional impact has made Northern Ireland the number one international investment location for US cyber security development projects.  

CSIT will soon be incorporated within a new Global Innovation Institute (GII), a planned innovation centre that will build on CSIT’s track record of delivering distinctive outreach, business development, engagement, and skills programmes that take a holistic approach to developing value from research. 

The new 6,900 sqm cutting edge facility will help make Northern Ireland a global leader in digital technologies, cyber security, wireless connectivity, artificial intelligence (AI) and applying machine learning (ML) approaches to address local, national and global challenges. GII will work with regional companies at all stages of development, from start-ups to established SMEs and major corporations on a challenge-led basis, to unlock digital innovation. 

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