iCSS (Institute of Cyber Security for Society), University of Kent

Built on the success of the former Kent Interdisciplinary Research Centre in Cyber Security (KirCCS) established in 2012, since January 2021 iCSS has been representing the University of Kent as one of only 19 UK universities that are recognised as Academic Centres of Excellence in Cyber Security Research (ACEs-CSR) by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC, part of the GCHQ) and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC, part of UKRI – UK Research and Innovation). The University of Kent’s ACE-CSR recognition was achieved originally from 2015-2017 and then from 2018-2023. iCSS further extends the cyber security research of the former KirCCS, especially within its socio-technical security and privacy research theme, into wider areas such as international conflict, cyber influence and behaviour, cybercrime, cyber law, and digital financial technology. Alongside our activities in research and innovation, iCSS also coordinates university-wide educational activities around cyber security, including our pool of cyber-related modules across different schools and new cyber-related interdisciplinary degree programmes. Since 2023, iCSS represents the University as an Academic Centres of Excellence in Cyber Security Education (ACEs-CSE) with a Gold Award status, recognised by the NCSC. As of August 2023, there were only 8 UK universities recognised as both an ACE-CSR and an ACE-CSE with a Gold Award status. iCSS also supports the University’s Cyber Security Improvement Group (CSIG) established in 2021 together with the Institute. Furthermore, iCSS has been active in many impact generation and wider engagement activities. Two examples are its role in partnering with the Kent & Medway Cyber Cluster (KMCC) Ltd to develop the local cyber security ecosystems in Kent and Medway, and its school outreach activities in cyber security and online safety. If you are interested in working with iCSS on such activities, please get in touch.