Aston University’s Cybersecurity Innovation (CSI) Centre has formed an Academic Centre of Excellence with the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA).

The partnership will offer ISACA certifications to ABS graduates to help boost their credentials in cybersecurity and risk management, while also aiming to help address the cybersecurity skills gap.

“There is an acute shortage of skills in the cybersecurity sector and we are delighted to be leading the field of executive education of future professionals under the recognition of a Centre of Excellence,” said Dr Anitha Chinnaswamy, a senior lecturer in cybersecurity management at the CSI Centre at Aston Business School.

The CSI Centre and ISACA UK Central Chapter have been working together for more four years to provide training and access to a network of over 170,000 cyber professionals worldwide.

ISACA UK Central instructors are working consultants, with experience as chief information security officers (CISOs), risk managers and IT audit directors.

Professor Zoe Radnor, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Executive Dean of the College of Business and Social Sciences at Aston University, said, “Taking our executive education in the cybersecurity direction is a strategic priority as Aston University has positioned itself as leader in digital technologies. The CSI Centre of Excellence underscores this priority.”

“The CSI Centre academics are always forward looking at the new demands in education and have created a dynamic set of postgraduate offering highly relevant in the market,” added Professor Helen Higson, deputy dean of Aston Business School.