Bournemouth, Education | Posted on September 25th, 2026 | return to news

Bournemouth University’s Cyber Centre opens for future digital crime fighters

BU’s new centre teaches the skills needed to fight online crime.

The launch of the £2.3m Cyber Competence Centre, funded by a grant from the Office for Students (OfS), at Bournemouth University’s Talbot Campus is in time for the start of the new academic year.

It provides facilities for students following courses in cyber security management and cyber security with digital forensics. It is also home to a new course in cyber defence and intelligence, launched this September with funding from the Ministry of Defence and OfS.

The centre, which enables students to experience and tackle critical cyber incidents, was officially opened by Jessica Toale, MP for Bournemouth West on 24 September.

Speaking at the event, Jessica said: “The threats posed by cyber-attacks are now part of everyday life for individuals, businesses and organisations providing critical infrastructures around the world. In recent months we have seen the impact of these attacks on our airports, on car manufacturing and on major retailers.

“BU is stepping up to play a major part in strengthening our ability to detect, understand and to minimise the impact of cyber crime, which is important not just for our region but for our nation. This new centre, along with the courses the university is delivering, will develop the next generation of professionals with the skills we so desperately need, right here in Bournemouth. This includes high level technical skills alongside the ability to exercise sound judgment and make ethical decisions under pressure.”

As well as the technology needed to simulate cyber attacks, the Cyber Competence Centre provides wearable technology that can monitor the body’s reactions to working under pressure. This technology will be used to help understand the impact on teams working on the frontline, reduce risks of burnout and improve the reliability of human responses.

Professor Alison Honour, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer of Bournemouth University, said: “The launch of this centre represents a significant milestone in our work to develop the skills in cyber security that our region and country needs.”

Following the launch of the centre at BU’s campus, work is underway on a similar facility at the Ministry of Defence’s BattleLab at Dorset Innovation Park. Funded by a £2.8m grant from the OfS and MOD, these facilities will help students develop the technical knowledge and practical skills needed to strengthen the country’s defence capabilities and develop new, intelligent technologies – boosting regional skills and capabilities in Dorset.