RMIT University has launched Australia’s first centre for Cyber Security Research and Innovation (CSRI) to tackle cyber security challenges and help mitigate future threats.

RMIT will work with government and industry leaders while providing training for a new generation of professionals and cyber ambassadors.

With a focus on the organisational, human and technical aspect of cyber security, the CSRI centre brings researchers from across the different colleges at RMIT University to work on key cyber security research projects.

CSRI Director Professor Matt Warren said the centre was uniquely placed to help meet the rapidly evolving cyber threat environment in Australia and around the world and to skill the cyber experts of the future.

“We are a leading source of knowledge and expertise in multi-disciplinary cyber security research and innovation, strategy advice, workforce development and community awareness,” he said.

Critical to Australia’s future

“Cyber security is critical to Australia’s future and we recognise the need for a range of entities including businesses to improve cyber security practices and actively participate in cyber threat mitigation activities.

“Through our industry focused approach, the centre will look at business aspects like policy, infrastructure, supply chain and management security, as well as considering key consumer concerns such as trusting businesses with their data.

“With a critical need for suitably trained and qualified cyber security professionals, the centre will provide research training and capability development for our next generation of researchers.”

Unique global connections

The new centre will draw on RMIT’s extensive links with industry partners and its unique global connections including campuses in Vietnam and a research and industry collaboration centre in Barcelona.

Building on the University’s depth of expertise, the centre brings together leading capabilities across multiple disciplines including business, computer science, engineering, mathematics and entrepreneurship.

It will work closely with the RMIT Blockchain Innovation Hub and the RMIT Cyber Ready Cloud Innovation Centre, powered by Amazon Web Services (AWS).

Having recently joined RMIT to establish the CSRI centre, Professor Warren brings extensive experience of more than two decades in cyber security and computer ethics research.

He has a strong track record of working with government and industry.