UCLan hosts first ever Lancashire Cyber Festival to explore how Lancashire’s ambition to create a high-value, high-skilled, and inclusive cyber economy, could be realised
The University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) is one of six founding members of a new collaborative initiative called The Lancashire Cyber Partnership (LCP), a group which will shape, support, and promote the county’s world-class cyber strengths and fast-growing cyber ecosystem.
The LCP was officially launched at the county’s first ever Lancashire Cyber Festival this week. Hosted at the University of Central Lancashire, the event brought together a wide range of participants, including business owners, local authority leaders, academics, and representatives from national government.
Over two days, delegates took part in discussions and workshops which explored how Lancashire’s ambition to create a high-value, high-skilled, and inclusive cyber economy, could be realised.
In addition, pupils from Lancashire primary schools took part in specially designed activities, including trying to solve cyber-themed puzzles based on famous fairy tales.
"Being a member of the LCP will help support UCLan’s commitment to widening participation in cyber, technology, and wider STEM disciplines, through both undergraduate courses and degree apprenticeships"
— Professor Graham Baldwin, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Central Lancashire
Students from local colleges, and Lancaster University and the University of Central Lancashire were also involved, taking part in a high-tech cyber escape room challenge held in a specially converted shipping container on UCLan’s University Square.
Professor Graham Baldwin, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Central Lancashire, said: “I’m delighted that the Lancashire Cyber Partnership chose to use the inaugural Lancashire Cyber Festival, which was hosted at UCLan, to announce its formation.
“Being a member of the LCP will help support UCLan’s commitment to widening participation in cyber, technology, and wider STEM disciplines, through both undergraduate courses and degree apprenticeships. It will also allow us to highlight the many non-technical pathways which we offer, open to students from all backgrounds, which could lead them to a high-value cyber career.”
The Partnership’s other members are: Lancashire County Council (LCC); the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership (LEP); Lancaster University; BAE Systems; and the National Cyber Force (NCF).
Each LCP member will bring unique expertise, insights, and resources to support the LCP’s aspirations.
The University of Central Lancashire, which has specialisations in combating international cyber-crime, and the industrial application of cyber technologies in sectors such as future flight and space, will also utilise its academic expertise, and R&D resources, to support the LCP’s mission.
Alongside Lancaster University, the University of Central Lancashire will offer a wide range of cyber and cyber-related degrees, and post-graduate courses, which will help ensure Lancashire maintains a strong pipeline of graduate talent to support the growth of its cyber economy.
- UCLan is home to the Security and Forensic Research in Computing Group (SAFeR), one of the UK’s leading cyber-focused research groups, and the Cybercrime Research Unit (UCRU), which specialises in all areas of cybercrime.
- UCLan also offers degree, degree apprenticeship, and postgraduate cyber security courses, as is leading on a widening participation strategy to ensure all students get the chance to pursue cyber-related learning pathways.
- In addition, UCLan’s flagship Engineering Innovation Centre, and its Civic Drone Centre, are both supporting the development of leading-edge cyber applications for Industry 4.0, working with sectors such as automotive, future flight, and space.