Edith Cowan University launches WA Cyber Security Innovation Hub

Edith Cowan University (ECU) has launched a WA Cyber Security Innovation Hub, dubbed CyberWest.

CyberWest aims to support growth and commercial opportunities for the cyber security sector.

It also wants to prepare the next generation of cyber professionals, and improve awareness around the issue among WA businesses.   

CyberWest was first established in 2018 as part of the AustCyber Industry Growth Network.

The hub will be supported by the State Government through the New Industry Fund and hosted by ECU, aiming to achieve growth and support the state’s cyber security capability.   

“The initial four years we spent as part of AustCyber were an excellent foundation on which to build the hub and its capability and we’re grateful to the AustCyber network for their support over this time,” CyberWest director Cecily Rawlinson said,.

“We’re now entering an exciting new phase of growth but will of course continue to work collaboratively with other states and federal cyber agencies so we can best support the cyber sector,” she added.

Rawlinson said ECU produces 20 per cent 20 per cent of Australia’s cyber graduates.

CyberWest is part of a cluster of organisations that provide a centre of cyber capability, capacity, and leadership for the state.

The CyberWest team is co-located with the Cyber Security Cooperative Research Centre, the ECU Security Research Institute, ECU Securing Digital Futures theme leader, and ECU Defence Research at ECU’s Joondalup campus. 

“The launch of CyberWest marks a new era of growth and collaboration for Western Australia's cyber hub," Western Australia’s minister for innovation Stephen Dawson MLC said.

"We are confident that this new locally driven and expertly led hub will bring about exciting developments and opportunities for the Western Australian cyber sector." 

CyberWest is holding its second annual summit in Perth, aimed at IT professionals across all businesses rather than just cyber security professionals.

The summit will focus on critical infrastructure, secure government, and cyber skills.

Last September, ECU unveiled an industry and education internship program, in collaboration with IBM, to bolster the technology talent pipeline coming out of Western Australia.