SCOTLAND’S new home for cybersecurity research, innovation, and industry growth, will officially open at Abertay University in Dundee today (June 15).
The £18 million ‘first of its kind’ Abertay cyberQuarter hub, located in the Annie Lamont Building, has been funded by the university and the UK Government and Scottish Governments through the Tay Cities Region Deal.
In addition to a physical space for collaboration and experimentation between industry and academia, the Abertay cyberQuarter has a cloud-computing infrastructure that will be used for specialist online teaching and provision of R&D and knowledge exchange activities.
Operating over four floors, the centre provides a range of open plan spaces for group working, private office accommodation, seminar rooms for training and CPD delivery, an events space, an outdoor terrace, and a cinema/lecture theatre.
Construction on the project was managed by SCAPE, with McLaughlin & Harvey acting as principal contractors. The designs were created by Dundee-based Wellwood Leslie Architects.
Creating new solutions to cybersecurity challenges will be among the goals of Abertay cyberQuarter, which also aims to bring inclusive economic growth to the area by supporting the expansion of existing companies and helping new ones to succeed.
The cybersecurity arm of NHS NSS (National Services Scotland) has already announced it will be locating at Abertay cyberQuarter, bringing an initial 30 jobs to Dundee, and further partnership announcements are due in the coming weeks.
McLaughlin & Harvey MD Paul Griffen said, “We are proud to have been the principal contractor for the university’s redevelopment of the Annie Lamont Building into the Abertay cyberQuarter. It’s great to have worked with the university and the Scape Scotland framework team to deliver this innovative Tay Cities Region Deal project, which has provided Dundee with another refurbished building for education, collaboration and employment. The project has also made a significant contribution to social value through local spend and investment in the training of students.”
Abertay University principal, Professor Liz Bacon, described the opening as a ‘truly landmark moment’. She added, “This first-class hub will, crucially, help Scotland to retain the huge amount of graduate talent that comes out of Abertay and our partner institutions every year, and will also act as a secure, shared space where new solutions to global cyber challenges can be addressed for the common good.”
Abertay cyberQuarter is to be officially opened by Professor Liz Bacon, alongside UK Government Scotland Office minister, Iain Stewart MP, Scottish Government minister for just transition, employment and fair work, Richard Lochhead MSP, and Dundee City Councillor Mark Flynn of the Tay Cities Region Joint Committee.
