East Midlands Cyber Security Cluster
Building a cyber-skilled East Midlands
East Midlands Cyber Security Cluster together brings business, academia, cyber professionals and policy shapers to turn UK cyber strategy into regional action.
We help organisations strengthen their resilience, build skills and grow with confidence.
Working with
A purposeful partner for change
EMCSC is an independent East Midlands cluster for cyber resilience, workforce upskilling and policy development.
We convene universities, employers, industry stakeholders and government so that national ambitions for cyber security translate into real benefits for East Midlands businesses.
Our work focuses on three themes:
- Helping SMEs take proportionate, practical steps to manage cyber risk.
- Developing future‑ready cyber workforces through education and skills programmes.
- Guiding UK policy with evidence from our regional ecosystem.
Compelling programme delivery
Our delivery portfolio includes place‑based programmes connecting policy, skills, and implementation.
- CyberSprint: Fast Track to the Future created a scalable cyber skills ecosystem engaging schools, colleges, employers and professional bodies.
- CyberGrowth helped SMEs turn national cyber guidance into governance, workforce planning and real-world improvements.
- We continue work with partners, utilising Industrial Strategy, Cyber Growth Action Plan, Local Skills Improvement Plans and more to test new models for cyber training, diagnostics, and support.
Case study: Building SME resilience while cutting carbon
A Leicestershire agency used CyberGrowth support to design a solution for better protecting data while simultaneously advancing its sustainability plan.
Supported by 100 hours of funded academic consultancy from Dr Muhammad Kazim, a Senior Lecturer in Cyber Security at De Montfort University, the agency mapped best practice data flows and back‑up routines. It then reinforced storage with a new backup architecture.
The project is now underpinned by company policy and aligns with the agency’s emerging carbon reduction strategy. It features best practice methods of reducing duplication, improving recovery times, and aligning data retention rules against UK regulations.
Leading engaging events
From fully funded workshops to our flagship East Midlands Cyber Summit, EMCSC events give SMEs practical guidance on cyber risk.
We bring together business leaders, practitioners, academics and policymakers to share real incidents, lessons learned, and simple steps organisations can take now.
Sessions cover key topics including governance, workforce skills, supply‑chain risk and emerging threats, with signposting to funded regional support.
Helping shape UK cyber skills policy
EMCSC’s policy work brings the voice of East Midlands cyber professionals, educators, and businesses into national debates about cyber skills and resilience.
Our Cyber Workforce White Paper – authored by EMCSC founder Dr Ismini Vasileiou and backed by the All‑Party Parliamentary Group for Cyber Innovation – sets out a practical, UK‑wide taxonomy for cyber roles and capabilities.
It has helped position EMCSC as a bridge between regional delivery and central government, aligning neatly with programmes of work including the Industrial Strategy and Cyber Action Plan.
Dr Vasileiou is now an industry advisor to the DSIT’s Women in Tech Taskforce – bringing a strong regional and inclusion‑focused perspective into national decision‑making.
Latest News
Stay informed with the Latest developments in digital security, industry insights, plus updates on regional initiatives to strengthen cyber defences.
Get involved
Connect with us to learn about our upcoming events, explore partnership opportunities, and discover how you can support our mission in securing regional cyber defences.