About
We are seeing concerning signs that the education & research sector has been increasingly targeted by ransomware in the first quarter of 2026. In response, we are convening a national briefing to provide practical advice and guidance for board members.
The cyber threat landscape facing education and research is evolving rapidly. It has never been more important for leaders to address the critical gap between the scale and sophistication of the threat and organisations’ ability to defend against it.
The pace of attack is accelerating at pace. Three years ago, the shortest observed time for a full breach of an IT system by a cyber attacker was around a week. Recent analysis from cyber security experts CrowdStrike revealed that this can now occur in as little as 27 seconds.
This shift is being driven in part by AI. Almost nine out of ten attacks are now AI-powered, and we are seeing that threat actors, including state-sponsored groups, are targeting the education & research sector.
This is the reality now facing senior leaders. It demands urgent attention and informed action. The time to act is now.
Speakers include Robin Ghurbhurun, UK managing director - FESNET and David Batho, director of security
Who should attend
This essential, non-technical security briefing is designed for VC, PVC, CIO, CFO, CCO, principals, vice principals, CISOs and senior leaders in UK education & research. It offers a strategic overview of the evolving threat landscape, the reputational and operational risks facing institutions, and the board-level responsibilities that come with them.
Contact
For further information, please contact events@jisc.ac.uk.