Exeter College is the first FE and HE institution in England to gain cyber essentials plus accreditation as part of its commitment to cyber security.

The college has achieved the Cyber Essentials Certificate (currently held by only 2% of colleges), as well as the higher level Cyber Essentials Plus Certificate. It has also achieved the IASME Certificate of Assurance to make it a hat-rick of accreditation.

The college’s Information and Learning Services (ILS) department is celebrating the trio of accreditations, which followed a rigorous self-assessment and external auditing by an accredited body.

The Cyber Essentials scheme is a government-backed, industry supported scheme that demonstrates an organisation’s commitment to cyber security.

The certification is a requirement for bids for central government contracts which involve handling sensitive personal information or the provision of certain technical products and services.

Steve Campion, Exeter College Vice Principal (Finance and Business Operations), said: “Congratulations to the ILS team on their hard work in achieving this accreditation. Exeter College is always trying to strike the right balance between operational effectiveness and IT security for our students and staff.

“This is the culmination of three years work by the team and the wider college in recognising the heightened cyber related risks which are prevalent in all organisations, not just the education sector.”