UK Cyber Security Council announces completion of the Formation Project to officially become an independent entity

The UK Cyber Security Council, the self-regulatory body for the cyber security education and skills sector, has announced that the Formation Project to create the Council has been completed, allowing the UK Government-mandated Council to officially become an independent entity, fully and only accountable to its trustees.

UK Cyber Security Council

The Council will champion the cyber security profession across the United Kingdom, providing broad representation for the industry, accelerating awareness and promoting excellence in the profession. 

The Council will champion the cyber security profession across the United Kingdom

It will do this by delivering thought leadership, career tools and education resources to the cyber security sector and those seeking a career in the industry, alongside helping influence government, industry and academia, with the aim of developing and promoting UK cyber security excellence globally and growing the skills base.

The Formation Project

Dr. Claudia Natanson, Chair of the Council’s Board of Trustees, said “The Formation Project has put down solid foundations on which the Council can build and that is what the Council is able to, and will do, from today. The next few months will be especially busy, as we are now able to hire and start work on gaining traction and momentum, across and beyond the profession.”

She adds, “We’ll also be engaging with the Government to ensure the delivery of the standards and governance needed to ensure a strong cyber security profession, now and in the future. The trustees assure all those involved in the Council to date of our maximum efforts to take their work forward.”

Near-term tasks for the UK Cyber Security Council include:

• The appointment of a permanent leadership team, who will work with the Board of Trustees to establish the Council as a leader in the profession, influencing its standing and reputation within the UK and globally; and
• The recruitment of personnel to take forward the work of the Formation Project on elements of the Council’s remit, including recognition for cyber security practitioners, professional ethics, diversity and inclusivity in the profession and thought leadership

Cyber Security Alliance

Volunteers from the members of the Cyber Security Alliance have put their heart and soul into the Formation Project"

Dr. Claudia Natanson also thanked the Cyber Security Alliance and the member organisations that supported the Formation Project. Dr. Natanson said, “For twenty months, scores of volunteers from the 16 forward-thinking organisations of the Cyber Security Alliance have devoted countless hours to getting the Council to this date. We cannot thank them enough, because without them there would be no Council. In the teeth of a pandemic, to reach this date with the Council on schedule is remarkable.”

Dr. Budgie Dhanda, Managing Director of 3BDA and Co-Chair of UK Cyber Security Council Formation Project, said “The volunteers from the members of the Cyber Security Alliance have put their heart and soul into the Formation Project, and the members of the Alliance itself have supported their staff all the way. We’re all very proud of what we’re handing over today and look forward to its evolution into a fully functioning, effective Council to represent our profession through the changes ahead.”

Protecting UK against cyber threats

Dr. Bill Mitchell OBE, Chair of the Cyber Security Alliance, said “Today marks a significant milestone for the many people, who are today and will be in the future, handed the enormously important task of protecting the United Kingdom and its economy from cyber threats that undermine the foundations of modern society.

He adds, “Handing over the Council to its trustees is the culmination of over four years of commitment to a shared vision and shared values of public benefit from 16 organisations that came together in recognition of the breadth of skills and disciplines that go into this task.”

CYBERUK cyber security conference

Dr. Bill Mitchell OBE further adds, “Now a new profession for the UK can be officially recognised and supported. The Alliance remains fully committed to supporting the new Council and ensuring it succeeds at the pace and with the reach that the UK needs, as we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and find our place outside the European Union.”

The Council has been invited by the NCSC to participate at CYBERUK, the UK government’s flagship cyber security conference in May 2021. It will outline some initial plans at the event.