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Cyber Strategy (2023-2028) – Greater Manchester Combined Authority

The Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) has developed a Cyber Security Strategy which outlines the council’s approach to cyber resilience and security.

The cyber strategy includes a series of partnerships between government, private sector organisations and academia to strengthen the resilience and diversity of the cyber sector. The main strategic priorities include:

  • Empowering people and communities by promoting cyber skills development and confidence in using digital technologies safely.
  • Building responsible, data-driven public services through secure digitization and cyber resilience.
  • Digitally enabling a resilient and prosperous economy by fostering collaborations, innovation, and investment in the cyber sector.
  • Creating connected, inclusive, and sustainable places through robust cyber infrastructure and accessibility.
  • Strengthening Greater Manchester’s position as a global digital influencer in responsible cybersecurity practices

The strategy is also aimed at growing the digital economy of the city-region, currently worth around £5 billion per year.

The Cyber Advisory Group, representing businesses, academia, public sector, and government, will provide strategic oversight and management for implementing the strategy.

Challenges

  • The need to build a collaborative relationship across the entirety of the ecosystem, building on the maturity that exists at the core.
  • They stress the need to consolidate regional relationships to realise the potential of the North West cyber corridor; and elevate our emerging reputation for cyber innovation.
  • This will enable business to develop and grow sustainably, facilitate sharing of knowledge and learning from international partners, as well as ensuring that they attract the best talent.
  • Stimulate innovation, such as the partnership between Greater Manchester and North Rhine-Westphalia, to build their cyber brand and profile, and to leverage investment: all of which are key to their ambition, as is ensuring that the academic excellence of their Higher Education Institutions is translating research and education into economic impact.
  • A strong and coordinated focus on developing skills and talent at entry and mid-career levels in order to respond to the growing demand of the sector and fulfil their sectoral ambition. They will work with partners in business, education and skill provision to further create inclusive opportunities for people to acquire cyber skills.

Approach

By adopting a holistic approach to cyber, the GMCA want to ensure that Greater Manchester is leading the way in both developing and implementing global best practice in responsible cyber security.

Their approach will ensure that their cyber ecosystem is actively contributing to local priorities and national government missions, including achieving clean growth, driving health innovation and ensuring national security.

The cyber strategy has five pillars:

  1. Bold and ambitious collaboration
    • Create a collaborative environment that extends across the cyber ecosystem
    • Coordinate and enable the cyber ecosystem
    • Maximise cross sectoral co-location
  2. Driving innovation and investment
    • Utilise the Unique Selling Point (USP) to drive innovation and investment
    • Harness the synergies between frontier sectors and cross sectoral technological strengths
    • Align resources to the strategic place and national priorities
  3. Creating accessible routes into cyber
    • Facilitate skills brokerage
    • Support workforce development
    • Support the development of digital diffusion initiatives
  4. Representing diversity in Greater Manchester
    • Maximise the social impact and ethical approach of their ecosystem
    • Ensure democratic legitimacy
    • Reflect and celebrate the diversity of Greater Manchester
  5. Promoting cyber and being a global influencer
    • Be a global responsible cyber influencer
    • Offer a clear landing point and support
    • Deliver landmark events

Outcomes and benefits

The GMCA will measure its impact via its cyber strategy through its five pillars highlighted above. As well as the following:

  • Grow the value of Greater Manchester cyber ecosystem
    • Sector GVA
    • Inward investment
    • Value of investment intensify
  • Greater Manchester cyber innovation
    • R&D spend by public and private sectors
    • R&D collaborations
  • Investment inclusive and representative
    • Individuals attending outreach programmes, focusing on attracting those from underrepresented groups
    • Individuals completing training opportunities, promoting entry pathways to underrepresented groups
    • Organisations achieving cyber accreditations

View original case study article at greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk