About us
The University of Greenwich is proud to be recognised by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and the UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) as an Academic Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security Education (ACE-CSE), Gold Award.
We are one of only fifteen UK universities with ACE-CSE Gold status, and among just nine to be recognised for excellence in both education and cyber security research (ACE-CSR), highlighting excellence across both cyber security education and research.
We are also proud members of CyberFirst, further demonstrating our commitment to developing the next generation of cyber security talent.
Our ACE-CSE is led by members of the internationally acclaimed Centre for Sustainable Cyber Security (CS2), reflecting our commitment to advancing research‑informed, comprehensive cyber security education. The centre is supported by a multidisciplinary team from across the University, including senior leadership, university‑wide information security governance, senior representatives from outreach and equality, diversity and inclusion teams, and external secondary school educators, ensuring robust governance, sector engagement and long‑term impact.
Our programmes combine rigorous academic foundations with hands‑on experience, preparing students to become highly skilled cyber security professionals. We uphold high standards in education, conduct cutting‑edge multidisciplinary research, and maintain strong industry partnerships that provide students with valuable opportunities, including industrial mentorships and internships.
At Greenwich, cyber security is a strategic priority. Our curriculum is aligned with the latest developments in the field, ensuring students remain current with emerging trends and well prepared to bridge theory and practice. We emphasise the importance of fundamental cyber security skills and good cyber hygiene for all, recognising their essential role in today’s digital society.
What we do
We offer a range of programmes and initiatives that equip students with the knowledge, skills, and practical experience needed for impactful careers in cyber security. The centre’s activities are informed by external industrial and academic advisers, ensuring continued relevance, quality and alignment with sector needs.
Industry engagement and employability
Our Career Mentoring Scheme connects students with mentors from leading organisations, including Oracle, JP Morgan, PwC, and Barclays, through workshops, networking events and one‑to‑one guidance. Students also gain hands‑on experience through paid work placements with partners such as GCHQ, Nestlé IT Security, EssenSys IT Champion, and Nomura between their second and third years of study.
Experiential learning and challenge‑based activities
Students engage in impactful projects, such as volunteering with Locate International to support missing persons investigations through forensic digital analysis. They further develop their skills and professional networks by participating in events such as the Digital Shark Expo and competitive activities including the Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge and the Hack The Box University Capture‑the‑Flag competitions.
Outreach and widening participation
Through our Outreach Education Partnership, we collaborate with over 300 schools and colleges to promote STEM and cyber security education and support academic progression. We are also a partner in the Kent and Medway Collaborative Outreach Programme, extending our reach and impact across local communities.
Our Role Across the University
The ACE‑CSE plays a coordinating role in embedding appropriate cyber security principles across disciplines beyond computing, supporting cyber awareness, digital resilience and good cyber hygiene for all students. Working with academic and professional services colleagues, the Centre helps ensure that cyber security considerations are integrated into teaching, learning and institutional practice across the University.
Recent activities
Cisco Girls in ICT - 13 May 2026
Over the past two years, the University of Greenwich has been delivering Innovation Challenges for girls in Years 7–10, aimed at encouraging participation in STEM education and future careers. The event is organised by Cisco in partnership with universities and colleges across the UK to host challenge days that inspire young female students (typically aged 12–14) to pursue STEM careers. For University of Greenwich, it took place in the Greenwich and Medway Campuses. In Greenwich, it was organised by Ann Longley and Jason Parke from FES, the University’s Women in STEM Society and Student Ambassadors, in partnership with the Next Tech Girls.
At the Greenwich campus, more than 20 enthusiastic students from Years 7–9 took part, with a similar number attending at the Medway campus. Participants had the opportunity to explore career pathways in STEM, including cyber security, and engage directly with role models and mentors. Dr Najma Taimoor and Professor Georgia Sakellari represented the ACE‑CSE, supporting the event and contributing as members of the judging panel. Students showcased a range of innovative digital solutions, addressing how artificial intelligence can be used in a safe, responsible, inclusive, and ethical way to improve the lives of young people. The quality of the ideas and prototypes presented was exceptional, reflecting both creativity and a strong awareness of the societal impact of technology.
CYBERUK 2026 - 21-23 April 2026
Dr Taimoor Khan attended CYBERUK 2026, where he had the opportunity to network with a range of industrial, academic , and government partners working in the area of cyber security for critical infrastructure. Discussions with the network provided valuable insights into current challenges, emerging research directions, and practical security needs across sectors that rely on resilient and secure digital systems.
Open Day, afternoon talks and taster sessions - 21 March 2026
Our CMS staff welcomed prospective students to the Greenwich campus, where ACE‑CSE members delivered talks on our cyber security programmes alongside interactive taster sessions. In particular, Dr. Dennis Ivory introduced students to the field of digital forensics, demonstrating how specialists investigate cybercrime, data breaches, and other digital offences. The session provided insight into the tools and techniques used to analyse digital activity, recover deleted files, and examine devices in a legally compliant manner. Dr. Muhammad Taimoor Khan also delivered an interactive taster session for prospective cyber security students holding offers at the University of Greenwich. During the session, he introduced a range of open‑source tools and techniques, giving students hands‑on experience in developing secure‑by‑design software systems and protecting communications using cryptographic methods.
TechFirst Education Ecosystem Conference - 10-11 March 2026
Professor Georgia Sakellari and Dr Muhammad Taimoor Khan attended the TechFirst Education Ecosystem Conference, engaging with government, academic, school, and industry partners to explore national TechFirst initiatives, share best practice, and identify new opportunities for students and cross‑sector collaboration. The dinner held particular significance for our centre, as it marked the official award of our Gold ACE‑CSE status by NCSC and DSIT.
Combined outreach and research activity in Schools and Colleges - December 2025 - January 2026
Between December 2025 and January 2026, the ACE‑CSE, working in collaboration with the ACE‑CSR, delivered a substantial programme of outreach and research engagement visits to secondary schools and further education colleges across the region.
Activities reached over 600 students at institutions including Thomas Tallis School, Sandwich Technology School, St John’s, The Marsh Academy, Ebbsfleet Academy, St Gregory’s Catholic School, Homewood School & Sixth Form, Fort Pitt Grammar, Orion Spires, and London South East Colleges (Erith campus), with engagement ranging from small group workshops to large‑scale talks attended by over 600 students in total. The talks, delivered by Professor George Loukas, focused on online safety, careers in cyber security, and emerging issues such as AI security. In parallel, 200 students participated in research activities led by our ACE‑CSR and CS2 research centre, contributing to work on age verification in extended reality (XR) technologies. Together, these activities reflect a strong, integrated approach to outreach, widening participation, and research‑informed engagement.
Aspiration Digital December 2025 - 3 December 2025
Our FES events team participated in the Aspiration Digital event in Kent targeted at year 12 students with a stand that provided information about our programmes, including cyber security
CyberFirst Summer School - 26-29 August 2025
We were one of the three UK universities that hosted the NCSC CyberFirst Virtual Advanced Summer School, the only CyberFirst event in England this year. It was an inspiring week filled with hands-on learning, expert insights, and collaborative exploration in to the world of computer science and cyber security delivered by brilliant team at QinetiQ who streamed engaging sessions from Malvern and shared their expertise. It also involved brilliant guest speakers from NCSC, as well as our current and alumni students.
All the Year 12 students that participated brought energy, curiosity and passion to every session. We're proud to be part of shaping the next generation of cyber talent. We were thrilled to see such high levels of interest from local schools (unfortunately we had to turn away over 80 students due to space limitations). Hopefully next year we can welcome even more!
Cyber security is clearly sparking curiosity in the next generation, and we’re proud to be part of that journey.
ACE-CSE certificates ceremony -18 July 2025
The first cohort of students from our National Cyber Security Centre - accredited BSc Cyber Security and Digital Forensics programme have graduated! These talented individuals received their prestigious NCSC certificates, marking a significant achievement in their academic and professional journeys. We are incredibly proud of their accomplishments and can't wait to see the positive impact they will make in the world of cyber security and digital forensics. Special thanks to our academic staff who made this possible: Georgia Sakellari, Muhammad Taimoor Khan, Erwin George, Mayur Patel, Noel-Ann Bradshaw and Peter Griffiths. See highlights on LinkedIn.
STEM taster day - 19 June 2025
Our ACE-CSE team welcomed students to the Greenwich campus for a STEM Taster Day, offering practical, hands-on activities in cyber security and other digital technologies to inspire future study pathways.
Aspiration Digital 2025 - 13 March 2025
Prof. Georgia Sakellari took part in a panel at Aspiration Digital 2025, encouraging over 1,000 students to explore digital careers and highlighting pathways into cyber security. The university stand engaged students with information and advice on future study options.
UK Cyber Leaders Challenge 2025
A team of undergraduate students mentored by Dr. Muhammad Taimoor Khan progressed to the regional qualifiers of the UK Cyber Leaders Challenge 2025, demonstrating excellence in practical cyber security skills.
Sustainability Careers Expo - 5 December 2024
Dr. Taimoor Khan and Prof. Georgia Sakellari represented Greenwich at the Sustainability Careers Expo, promoting sustainable cyber security to over 4,000 students alongside 60+ leading employers and education providers.
Dartford Grammar School Careers Fair - 27 November 2024
Our team delivered interactive STEM and cyber security sessions for more than 300 students (Years 9–13) at Dartford Grammar School, showcasing study and career opportunities in the field.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hES2O-GpcU
Professor Georgia Sakellari
Professor of Networked Systems
ACE-CSE Director
Dr Muhammad Taimoor Khan
Associate Professor in Cyber Security
ACE-CSE Deputy Director
Anthi Glymidou
Vice Principal, Quality of Education, St. Marks Church of England Academy
ACE-CSE Secondary Education Outreach Advisor
Dr Anatolij Bezemskij
Senior Lecturer in Computer Science
ACE-CSE Infrastructure Lead
Professor George Loukas
Professor of Cyber Security
ACE-CSE Staffing and Research-Informed Teaching Lead
Professor Georgios Samakovitis
Professor of Financial Technology
ACE-CSE Industry and Employability Lead
Hayley Smith
Senior Events and Outreach Officer
ACE-CSE Communication and Outreach Lead
Professor Ozgur Cinar
Deputy Head of the School of Law and Criminology
ACE-CSE Allied Disciplines Lead
Gail Brindley
Executive Director of People
ACE-CSE Diversity and Inclusion Lead
Dr. Jodie Wetherall
Associate Director, Office of the CIO
ACE-CSE Liaison Lead for wider cyber security HEI requirements and policies
Professor Constantinos Ierotheou
Associate Dean, Student Success
ACE-CSE Senior HEI management representative
Dennis Ivory
Lecturer in Cyber Security
ACE-CSE Cyber Security Portfolio and Outreach Delivery Coordinator
Najma Taimoor
Lecturer in Computer Science (Secure Healthcare)
ACE-CSE Academic Outreach Lead
Hester Burnage
Employability Skills Manager
ACE-CSE Careers advisor
Future plans
Looking ahead, the University of Greenwich is committed to advancing cyber security readiness in the UK by ensuring our programmes equip students with skills directly aligned with industry demands. We plan to enhance our curriculum to address evolving skill requirements and integrate cyber security awareness across all academic disciplines at levels appropriate to each field.
By promoting a foundational understanding of cyber security, we aim to cultivate a culture of digital awareness and resilience throughout our university community, while actively supporting inclusivity and diversity within the cyber security sector.
To support these goals, we will invest in the necessary resources and faculty development to retain a high standard of cyber security education. This commitment includes expanding our outreach activities to emphasise cyber security, encouraging wider community engagement with cyber skills, and inspiring interest among future generations of cyber professionals.
Additionally, we are dedicated to strengthening our university’s own cyber security posture. By collaborating with internal cyber security managers and stakeholders, we will contribute to ensuring that our institutional policies remain current and effective, fostering a trusted digital environment for all.