Ayrshire College is proud to announce a new partnership with Acumen Cyber, working alongside HEFESTIS Ltd and Academia the Technology Group, to enhance the College’s cyber security resilience while supporting the development of future cyber professionals.

Education thrives on openness, collaboration and innovation. Protecting this environment requires cyber security solutions that are designed specifically for the realities of the education sector. Through this partnership, Ayrshire College will benefit from enhanced, round-the-clock cyber protection, sector-specific expertise and a strong focus on developing skills and talent.

The collaboration brings together Acumen Security’s CREST-accredited Security Operations Centre (SOC) and its SecurEd model, providing 24/7 monitoring and response capabilities tailored to educational institutions. Crucially, the partnership also supports meaningful engagement with students, helping to bridge the gap between learning and real-world cyber security practice.

Brad Johnstone, Director of Digital Infrastructure at Ayrshire College, said:

“Cyber security is no longer just a nice to have, it is essential in ensuring the safe delivery of education to our students. This relationship is built on the trust we have in HEFESTIS, and because of the full service model delivered by Acumen. Unlike other providers, we don’t need to pick and choose services, leaving certain areas of our infrastructure exposed. Instead the model covers our entire environment, giving us the confidence and reassurance that security is being managed 24/7 by experts in further education cyber defence.”

This initiative reflects Ayrshire College’s ongoing commitment to safeguarding its digital learning environment while creating opportunities for students to gain insight into live cyber security operations and industry best practice. By working closely with trusted industry partners, the College continues to invest in both institutional resilience and future workforce development.

The partnership demonstrates how education, technology and collaboration can work hand in hand to protect learning environments and invest in future talent.

Read the full press release about Ayrshire College’s partnership with Acumen Cyber