University of South Wales national cyber security academy – creating cyber graduates who can ‘hit the ground running’: an innovative project based approach

ABSTRACT Higher Education institutions understand that there is a need to embed professional skills within degree programmes. However, evidence shows that graduates, whilst having developed good theoretical knowledge, lack experience and confidence when entering the workplace. Employers view the importance of degree-related skills as only a part of the skills needed to be work ready. This opinion piece discusses an innovative approach to curriculum design in the field of cybersecurity, which uses a project-based approach with limited formal teaching to develop students’ skills, and engages them with industry from the very outset of their course. Early indications show that the course has many successes to celebrate, but that it is not without its challenges.