University of Worcester and Government Collaborate to Boost Cybersecurity Measures Across UK Businesses

By Anushka Malhotra

1 minute 26 seconds

Tech

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Quick Read: Government advises UK businesses to prioritize cybersecurity as a key business risk, issuing a draft code of practice in collaboration with industry experts. Concurrently, the University of Worcester launches a cybersecurity lab to prepare students for real-world challenges, addressing the growing concerns about online safety and the industry's workforce shortage.

In response to the rising cyber threats faced by businesses in the UK, the Government has issued new guidelines urging organizations to treat cybersecurity as a critical business risk, akin to financial and legal challenges. The collaborative effort, in partnership with industry experts and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), has resulted in a draft code of practice on cybersecurity. This code recommends that senior leaders make cybersecurity a focal point for their businesses, emphasizing the need for detailed plans to respond to and recover from potential cyber incidents.

NCSC Chief Executive Lindy Cameron emphasized the shift of cybersecurity from a niche subject to a responsibility shared across all departments within an organization. The newly proposed cyber governance code of practice is designed to elevate cyber resilience to the top of organizations' agendas.

Cameron encouraged senior leaders to share their perspectives on the code and highlighted the availability of NCSC's cybersecurity board toolkit. This toolkit offers practical guidance on implementing the actions outlined in the code, ensuring effective management of cyber risks.

Concurrently, the University of Worcester has unveiled a new cybersecurity lab to prepare students for real-world challenges related to online safety and security. Originally planned to commence in 2024, the degree's launch was moved forward due to overwhelming demand, along with the completion of the new building.

Richard Wilkinson, Head of Computing at the University, stressed the growing concern about the current state of online safety in the UK. He emphasized the importance of learning ways to stay safe against cyber threats and cited recent reports indicating that a significant percentage of businesses lack proper cybersecurity measures.

Wilkinson highlighted the cybersecurity industry's workforce shortage, with over 11,000 unfilled positions and 160,000 job advertisements in the past year alone. The new degree and lab aim to train students to address these gaps, providing hands-on experience and real-world knowledge in a secure environment. The lab, with no external access, ensures a safe space for students to gain firsthand experience, simulating scenarios they will encounter in their future roles as cybersecurity experts.

What's new

West Midlands Health Tech Innovation Accelerator Unlocks Nearly £50M in Private Investment

The West Midlands Health Tech Innovation Accelerator (WMHTIA), led by the University of Birmingham, has generated an impressive £49.4 million in private co-investment within its first two years, significantly surpassing its original £14.5 million public funding allocation.

Funded through the Innovation Accelerator programme, coordinated by Innovate UK, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, and UK Research and Innovation, WMHTIA has become a leading force in advancing health technology innovation across the region.

The majority of the private investment—£36.3 million—was directly committed by investors to enterprises supported by the Accelerator. This achievement represents a threefold return on the initial public investment, demonstrating the strong investor confidence in the region’s health tech sector.

Powering Health Innovation Through Collaboration

The WMHTIA brings together 21 partners from academia, industry, and the NHS to help healthtech companies develop, validate, and commercialise cutting-edge medical technologies. So far, companies supported through the programme have also secured an additional £10 million in national public grants from agencies including NIHR, Eureka, and Innovate UK.

Including both public and private contributions, the total investment leveraged by WMHTIA now stands at £67.3 million.

Professor Adam Tickell, Vice-Chancellor, University of Birmingham:

We’re proud to support startups through the riskiest stages of innovation so more life-saving technologies reach patients. This exceptional investment proves what’s possible when academia, the NHS, and industry work together to drive economic growth and better health outcomes.

In March 2025, the Innovation Accelerator programme was extended with a further £30 million, including £4 million for the WMHTIA to continue supporting the region’s innovators in 2025/26.

Backing the Future of Health Tech

Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands:

The West Midlands is leading medical tech innovation—from faster diagnoses to shorter hospital stays. Healthtech isn’t just improving lives; it’s creating secure, high-value jobs that drive inclusive growth.

Dean Cook, Executive Director of Place and Global, Innovate UK:

This programme shows how place-based innovation can unlock greater business investment in R&D. By connecting the region’s strengths, we’re creating high-value jobs and building globally significant innovation capability.

The WMHTIA continues to strengthen the region’s reputation as a national hub for health technology, with far-reaching benefits for patient care, job creation, and regional economic development.

By Anushka Malhotra

24 Jun