East Midlands Cyber Security Cluster has been recognised in the new Defence and Security Blueprint for the Midlands – positioning the organisation as a key player in the region’s emerging defence ecosystem.​

The Blueprint, led by the East Midlands County Combined Authority and West Midlands Combined Authority, aims to turn the Midlands into a globally recognised, innovation‑led defence ecosystem that powers national security, economic growth, and inclusive opportunity by 2035.

Midlands Defence and Security Blueprint network members

The document gives EMCSC formal recognition as a strategic regional partner in defence, reinforces its role in building cyber‑resilient supply chains and skills, and creates clearer routes into national defence innovation and investment programmes.

It places the cluster within a wider network that includes:

• East Midlands Regional Defence and Security Cluster
• Midlands Cyber
• UK Telecoms Lab
• Several university and innovation assets.

Taken together, it signals a clear role for the East Midlands in strengthening the UK’s cyber resilience.​

How EMCSC supports Defence Cyber Security in the Midlands

The Blueprint aims to build the UK’s most agile, resilient defence SME ecosystem by embedding “secure by design” across supply chains and raising supplier cyber standards through schemes such as Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus.

EMCSC’s inclusion underlines its potential to support SMEs in understanding and meeting these expectations, and to help them diversify into defence and security markets.​

The Blueprint also stresses the Midlands’ role as a testbed for next‑generation technologies including AI, autonomy, secure communications and advanced cyber security capabilities. 

EMCSC is positioned as part of the infrastructure that can connect regional cyber expertise with national defence innovation pipelines and programmes aimed at dual‑use technologies – those that serve both civilian and military applications.​

Increasing demand for cyber skills and education

The document also notes growing demand for digital and cyber skills and sets a goal of creating a future‑ready defence workforce rooted in areas such as software engineering, data, AI, and cyber security. 

Dr Ismini Vasileiou’s recent White Paper on cyber skills gaps and industry‑ready curricula provides a timely evidence base for what those pathways should look like in practice and how education and employers can better align. 

With EMCSC named among the region’s specialist cyber and security assets, its role in convening industry, academia and innovators – underpinned by the insights and recommendations in Dr Vasileiou’s White Paper – is likely to be central to shaping relevant skills pathways and helping to channel talent into defence‑related cyber roles.

Defence, cyber security and organisational resilience

Dr Ismini Vasileiou, founder and director of EMCSC and associate professor at De Montfort University, said: “EMCSC’s inclusion in the Midlands Defence and Security Blueprint marks a significant moment of visibility for the Cluster. 

“It’s a clear signal that cyber security is now viewed as a strategic pillar of the region’s defence ambitions. 

“Our recognition reflects the crucial role that East Midlands cyber innovators and SMEs will play in building the UK’s most agile and resilient defence ecosystem, strengthening supply chains, and protecting the digital backbone on which modern defence now depends. 

“We look forward to working with our partners across the Midlands to turn this vision into practical collaboration, new opportunities for local businesses, and long-term national organisational resilience.”

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Need to know

What is the Midlands Defence and Security Blueprint?

The Midlands Defence and Security Blueprint is a joint regional plan by the East and West Midlands authorities that translates national defence strategy into a practical programme to grow advanced manufacturing, engineering and digital defence capability across the Midlands by 2035.

What does East Midlands Cyber Security Cluster do?

The East Midlands Cyber Security Cluster (EMCSC) brings together businesses, academia, and cyber security experts to share knowledge, build networks, and strengthen the region’s digital security and resilience.​

How can SMEs meet Cyber Essentials requirements?

SMEs can meet Cyber Essentials requirements by implementing the scheme’s five basic security controls (secure configuration, access control, malware protection, security updates, and firewalls) and completing a certified self‑assessment, with Cyber Essentials Plus adding an external technical audit for extra assurance.