GCHQ has announced the certification of six Master’s degrees in cyber security, in the latest move by the British snooping agency to train the next generation of spooks.
Oxford, Royal Holloway, Lancaster and Edinburgh Napier all received fully certified status last Friday, with Surrey and Cranfield granted provisional status pending further year groups’ completion of their courses.
Francis Maude, minister for the Cabinet Office, said: "Cyber security is a crucial part of this government’s long term plan for the British economy.
"We want to make the UK one of the safest places in the world to do business online."
The spy agency hopes such degrees will make it easier for employers to select qualified staff, as well as give students the option of a respected qualification in the field.
Nigel Smart, professor of cryptology at Bristol, expected more universities to achieve certification as time went on, thus raising the standard of the qualification across the country.
