Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Cyber security ‘hottest subject’ with British Asian students

With businesses, government departments and defence installations needing to protect themselves increasingly against hacking and industrial espionage, the study of cyber security has become the “hottest” subject among British-Asian students at Wolverhampton University.

This was revealed on Friday (September 23) when British-Indian industrialist Lord Swraj Paul presided on graduation day for mathematics and computer science students at Wolverhampton where he has been chancellor since 1999.


The university, which has 23,000 students, a highly proportion of them of Indian or Pakistani origin or directly from the subcontinent, is setting up a “cyber security centre”, said to be the first of its kind in Britain.

At the ceremony, student after student graduated in cyber security, many with firsts. They will apparently have no problem getting well-paid jobs.

The university points out: “For all businesses, there are many potential threats to their cyber security.

“Although some sound like they are lifted from the latest movie blockbuster – cyber-activists defacing websites, hackers breaking into IT systems, foreign governments searching for intellectual property in your files – the fact remains that many businesses are unaware of simple security measures that can help protect their technology.”

Afterwards, Lord Paul, 85, told Eastern Eye that “if I were returning to university today as a student, I would choose IT. Digital is the future.”

He recalled as a young man who left Jalandhar in the Punjab for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), “I did mechanical engineering and metallurgy for my degree and Master’s. But those are subjects of the past as Britain has very little heavy industry left.”

Lord Paul was joined by Prof Nazira Karodia, dean of the Faculty of Science and Engineering, and two dons who are closely involved in teaching cyber security – Dr Kevan Buckley, head of computer science, and Steve Garner, head of business engagement and principal lecturer in computer science.

Buckley stressed how important it was to safeguard data. While for the ordinary computer user this meant “not leaving your pen drive on the train and having passwords with punctuation marks and upper and lower case letters”, banks often adopted the “set a thief to catch a thief” principle and employed expert hackers to advise on security.

But the academic study of cyber security, in which Wolverhampton hopes to lead the field, involves much more.

The university sets out why a BSc (Hons) in Cyber Security is a course worth following. It states: “BSc Cyber Security aims to give students a fundamental understanding of how to protect organisations, networks, IT systems and individuals against cyber attacks and cyber threats.

“This course covers all the main topic areas required by the British Computing Society for an accredited Cyber Security degree, and includes understanding of cyber threats and attacks, and the criminal sub-culture which is increasingly profiting from those attacks, how to manage information and the risks to that information, practical approaches to implementing physical and process controls to reduce information threats, and the design of secure systems and products which will enable businesses to withstand attacks.

“Employment in the area of cyber security is predicted to increase five fold in the next two years, and there is already a severe shortage of trained graduates who are able to work in this area. Therefore, the likelihood of gaining well-paid employment at the end of your degree is extremely high.”

In his speech to some of the 7,000 students who graduated this year, Lord Paul announced “the university’s involvement in the development of a Caparo Innovation Centre Investment Fund”.

“This is a £400,000 technology investment fund, which will be a great opportunity for university researchers and positive for the economic development of the region, through the support it will provide to new companies specialising in the science and technology sectors,” he said.

“My company Caparo and the university have a long-standing tradition of collaboration. I am delighted and proud this will continue to flourish and provide benefits for the local economy.”

In the new Business School Building opened in November 2015, named after Lord Paul, there is now a “Caparo Executive Education Centre”, where “people from industry can exchange ideas with students and teachers – it is the only one of its kind in the country”, Lord Paul said.

More For You

India and UK flags
Getty Images/iStockphoto

UK-India finance group marks one year, calls for steps to attract global investment

INDIA must take an investor-centric approach to attract global funding for its growing sustainable infrastructure needs, the UK-India Infrastructure Financing Bridge (UKIIFB) said in a report released in London on Monday.

The UKIIFB, co-chaired by NITI Aayog and the City of London Corporation, completed one year this week. The group was launched in September last year to help bridge the gap between global investor interest and infrastructure projects in India.

Keep ReadingShow less
Trump CEOs

Sitting at the centre of a long table, Trump was flanked by First Lady Melania Trump and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates on one side, and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg on the other. (Photo: Getty Images)

At White House dinner, Trump lauds Nadella, Pichai

US PRESIDENT Donald Trump praised Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and Google CEO Sundar Pichai during a White House dinner with top technology executives on Thursday. The two Indian-American leaders thanked him for his leadership and for policies in the technology and AI sectors.

Trump described the gathering as a “high IQ group,” calling the executives “the most brilliant people.” Sitting at the centre of a long table, Trump was flanked by First Lady Melania Trump and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates on one side, and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg on the other. Pichai and Apple CEO Tim Cook sat across from him, while Nadella was seated toward one end of the table.

Keep ReadingShow less
 India-EU-iStock

The visit coincides with the 13th round of India-EU negotiations on a proposed free trade agreement, which both sides aim to finalise by December. (Representational image: iStock)

iStock

EU envoys to hold strategic talks in India, focus on trade and security

THE EUROPEAN Union's Political and Security Committee (PSC), made up of envoys from the 27 member states, will begin a five-day visit to India on Wednesday. The visit will focus on strengthening overall ties, including efforts to conclude a free trade agreement that has been under negotiation for years.

The committee, headed by Ambassador Delphine Pronk, is visiting India for the first time. It will hold strategic discussions with senior Indian government officials, defence industry representatives, civil society organisations and leading think tanks.

Keep ReadingShow less
Uber

Takeaway apps have become a source of employment for undocumented migrants

Getty Images

Uber warns UK food delivery costs could rise amid crackdown on illegal migration

Highlights:

  • Uber warns Home Office rules targeting illegal gig economy workers could increase takeaway delivery costs in the UK.
  • Undocumented migrants have historically used food delivery apps for work, exploiting limited right-to-work checks.
  • Companies like Uber Eats, Deliveroo, and Just Eat have introduced stricter checks, including facial recognition and document verification.
  • Compliance and administrative costs have contributed to a fall in Uber UK profits despite rising revenues.
  • Government enforcement includes thousands of interviews and hundreds of arrests for suspected illegal working.


Uber’s UK accounts at Companies House welcomed the Home Office’s efforts to deter migrants and people smugglers from risking Channel crossings. However, the company cautioned that “new legislative requirements could have an adverse impact on our business, including expenses necessary to comply with such laws and regulations.”

Takeaway apps have become a source of employment for undocumented migrants, attracted by historically limited right-to-work checks. Delivery riders have sometimes sold or rented their accounts on social media to “substitutes” who may be working illegally.

Keep ReadingShow less
Co-op and Bestway strike new deal to back independent retailers

Dawood Pervez (L), managing director at Bestway Wholesale and Katie Secretan, managing director of Co-op Wholesale

Co-op and Bestway strike new deal to back independent retailers

A NEW partnership has been formed between Co-op Wholesale and Costcutter Supermarkets Group (CSG) to support independent retailers across the UK.

Goes beyond the standard supply deal, it aims to bring the combined expertise and resources of both businesses together, helping local retailers compete in an increasingly tough convenience market, a statement said on Thursday (4).

Keep ReadingShow less