QUB | ACE-CSE: WHO WE ARE

Queen’s is an ACE-CSE. An ACE-CSE is awarded from the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) to universities demonstrating excellence in cyber security education.

Our diverse ACE-CSE team is led by Dr Sandra Scott-Hayward from the School of Electronics, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EEECS), and is made up of staff from each faculty and professional services including Information Services, People and Culture, and Careers.

Together, we are delivering Queen’s cyber security strategy to strengthen cyber security awareness and knowledge across all education pathways, operational areas of the institution and the wider community.

WHAT WE DO

We teach a range of cyber security  modules to undergraduate students in the School of EEECS. Our certified Master’s degree in Applied Cyber Security has been running since 2014. As part of developing cyber security expertise across degree pathways, we offer joint courses between Cyber Security and Law at Master’s level, and offer guest cyber security lectures in multiple disciplines. Within our Leverhulme Interdisciplinary doctoral training programmes (LINCS and LINAS), postgraduate scholars explore cyber security challenges from a societal, economic and governmental perspective.

Since its foundation in 2009, the Centre for Secure Information Technologies (CSIT) at Queen’s has developed a strong reputation in this critical technology area. We have been recognised as an ACE-CSR since 2011. CSIT played a leading role in the formation and evolution of the local cyber security cluster, NI Cyber. Our strong industry engagement enables us to offer our students access to a vibrant cyber security cluster, and to provide a pipeline of high-quality graduates with skills that are relevant for the future.

Find out more about what we’ve been up to over the last few months in our newsletter.

GOLD AWARD RECOGNITION

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) - a part of Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ)- awarded the university gold recognition from its ACE-CSE programme after Queen’s demonstrated that it is delivering first-rate cyber security education on campus and promoting cyber skills in its community.

For more details, please read our Press Release.

STUDENT CYBER SECURITY AWARENESS

As an ACE-CSE, we believe that each student should have the opportunity to learn good cyber security practices that will benefit them in their studies, work, and social lives.

Following on from the launch of the EXCITE immersive cyber security experiences student training in Autumn 2023, in 2024 we have rolled out a web-browser based version of the immersive experiences. We invite you to complete the immersive cyber security training.

Are you interested in cyber security? Join QSEC, the Queen’s student cyber security society. Email cybersecurity-society@qub.ac.uk for information.

STAFF CYBER SECURITY AWARENESS

Cybersecurity awareness is an essential component of Queen’s commitment to maintaining a secure digital environment. The university places a high priority on educating staff about the ever-evolving landscape of cyber threats. Through online training programs, workshops, and informational resources, we empower our staff with the knowledge and tools they need to recognise and mitigate potential risks.

• IS Security
• QR Codes - Convenience with Caution
• Unlocking The Secrets of Strong Passwords
• Guarding Your Digital Fortress: Learn about SIM Fraud Attacks
• Privacy in the Digital Age: Your Ultimate Guide
• Spot the Phish: How to Recognize Online Scams

For October Cyber Security month 2024, the Golden Phish Competition was entered by over 1000 staff demonstrating their skills in spotting a phishing email. The star prize of an iPad was awarded to one randomly selected participant.

In March 2025, Big Ideas ran a DSIT-funded Schools cyber security programme and competition. We hosted the Cyber Super winning primary school, McClintock Primary School, Omagh – 32 pupils with their teachers on March 24^th and the winning post-primary school, Edmund Rice College, Glengormley - 19 pupils with their teachers on March 25^th.

The pupils were given an introduction to Queen’s and Cyber Security research, a tour of the Computer Science Building with demos in the VR and Innovation Labs, and hands-on sessions with our CyberAI Hub PhD students and NI CyberFirst representatives.

Feedback from the Schools has been very positive with teachers telling us how much their pupils got from the experience.

OUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE

We will continue to provide cyber security training for the entire student body through our immersive cyber security experiences. This is presented in virtual 3D student-oriented scenarios, which we designed and developed in partnership with Queen’s students and Zubr.

Across the University, cyber security will continue to grow as a subject of inquiry within the social sciences, concerning such issues as digital piracy, privacy and the law, international relations and conflict, and public policy, and within the medical and life sciences, concerning such issues as securing healthcare data, security of connected medical devices, food security, and biosecurity.

Northern Ireland has an ambitious target of growing the number of cyber security professionals in the region to 5,000 by 2030. Demonstrating the University’s commitment to supporting individuals to upskill and reskill, Queen’s, supported by the Department for the Economy, is offering postgraduate Certificate scholarships in Applied Cyber Security. Over the next five years, QUB ACE-CSE initiatives will further build the talent pipeline to develop awareness and knowledge of cyber security within and beyond Queen’s, which we believe is fundamental to addressing the societal challenge of cyber security.