BU is partnering with a global digital security provider to encourage more women to train for careers in cyber security.
The launch of the ESET Women in Cyber Studentship will provide one female student, enrolling onto one of BU’s undergraduate courses in cyber security with a £5,000 grant and a hardware package. The partnership will benefit three students over the next three academic years and is part of ESET’s work to promote greater diversity and raise awareness of careers in the cyber sector.
Figures from the Higher Education Statistic Agency (HESA) show that only 20 per cent of computer science graduates in the 2019/20 academic year were women. Sector commentary suggests that this under-representation continues across the industry, with only 20 per cent of women making up the cyber security workforce in the UK.
ESET is a leading global cybersecurity company, with headquarters in Slovakia, and its UK office close to BU in Bournemouth town centre. ESET protects millions of customers and hundreds of thousands of companies worldwide with its advanced technology based on the cutting-edge research from its global R&D centres.
Matt Knell, UK Country Manager at ESET, said: “While women remain underrepresented in the cybersecurity industry, ESET is committed to making significant efforts to help close the gender gap in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) through our ESG initiatives. Following the success of our long running scholarships in both the US and Canada, we’re proud to launch our first studentship in Europe by partnering exclusively with Bournemouth University. With our UK office in such close proximity to the university, we are excited to support the local development of aspiring females in the cyber security space. “
Female students applying to join one of three BU courses – Cyber Security Management, Networks and Cyber Security and Cyber Security with Digital Forensics – can now apply for the first £5,000 studentship. Only 13% of students currently enrolled on these courses at BU are female. In addition to the funding and hardware, the studentship recipient will have opportunities to learn from industry professionals at ESET.
Claire House-Norman, Director of Fundraising & Alumni Relations at BU, said: “Our studentship programme provides flexible support to students where it is needed most. This includes tackling financial hardship, providing opportunities through funding for work placements or, as in the case of the ESET Women in Cyber Studentship, promoting greater inclusion. We are pleased to be partnering with organisations such as ESET, as well as with individuals and trusts, to increase the funding available to our students. We are grateful for this support and know that it will make a real impact on the student recipients.”
If you are interested in partnering with us to provide additional studentship grants, please email [email protected].
