HP Backs Birmingham University Cyber Research Chair

Hewlett-Packard (HP) is sponsoring a cyber security research chair at the University of Birmingham over five years in support of government efforts to address the world’s most pressing cyber security challenges.

Simon Shiu, director of HP Security Lab, said:

“Increasing pervasiveness of technology means cyber security will become even more important and challenging, making it a top priority to invest now in research and partnerships to address this issue.

“Academia, business and government each have different contexts, experiences and skillsets. It is critical for us to work together to successfully address our shared future cyber security challenges.”

Professor Mark Ryan will assume the role. Ryan is recognised as a cyber security expert around the world, and will go on managing the school of computer science’s privacy and security group, but will cut back on his teaching responsibilities to spend time on his new role at HP Labs.

Ryan was speaking to Computer Weekly when expressing his excitement to join forces with an organisation able to complement the skill base of academics, bringing their ideas into reality.

He went on to say that academics are continually looking for opportunities to create an effect with any work they undertake, and that he is now able to do just that with a company offering products that can change the world.

Ryan is right about HP, as their place in the market is unquestioned, and they have the power to greatly improve the capabilities of cyber security. If academics can benefit from that power and educate tomorrow’s professionals, cyber security jobs of the future will be filled with individuals whose skill base has kept up with that of their cyber criminal counterparts.