- Aston University students took part in special project to help small businesses across the region
- More than 30 businesses have benefitted from the initiative which ran for six months
- It was funded by the West Midlands Innovation Programme and delivered by Aston Centre for Cyber Security Innovation (CSI)
Aston University students have been helping businesses across the West Midlands to improve their cyber resilience as part of a special project.
The Cyber Clinic supported more than 30 businesses through one-to-one consultancy, workshops and drop-in sessions across the region, alongside dedicated events designed to strengthen resilience against malicious online attacks. In total, 380 participants engaged with the programme.
The initiative was delivered by Aston Centre for Cyber Security Innovation (CSI) and was funded through the West Midlands Innovation Programme (WMIP) 3.0 Flexible Innovation Fund.
Students had the opportunity to gain real-world experience beyond their academic studies. They got involved in a wide range of practical activities, including workshops, events, marketing, report development, and creating resources such as social media content and cyber security guidance for SMEs.
Cyber resilience planning is a critical issue for many SMEs, which face the same threats as large enterprises but without comparable resources, organisational maturity or capacity to recover.
Cyber security student Andrew Hadley at Aston University, said:
“My involvement in the Cyber Clinic has been a valuable experience, giving me the chance to engage in workshops, events and wider project activities while connecting with professionals across the cyber security sector.
“It has strengthened my communication skills and confidence and broadened my understanding of the diverse career paths within cyber security. Overall, it has reinforced my interest in the field and given me valuable practical experience alongside my degree.”
The Cyber Clinic provides SMEs with accessible, real-world cyber security support, while enabling students to develop hands-on skills in risk assessment, threat analysis and client communication. It helps businesses to identify vulnerabilities, strengthen resilience and access practical, affordable security guidance.
Director of the Aston Centre for Cyber Security Innovation, Professor Vladlena Benson, MBE, added:
“Engagement with businesses is essential to strengthening regional cyber resilience and ensuring that academic expertise translates into real-world impact. We are delighted that the West Midlands Combined Authority has supported this initiative, enabling us to work closely with SMEs and build meaningful partnerships across the region.”
Software company TeamPoint was among the beneficiaries, receiving one-to-one consultancy on cyber safety and resilience.
Rosie Cottell from TeamPoint said:
“The cybersecurity session with Aston University was really useful for TeamPoint. It was good to see that we’re already doing a lot of things right, while also getting some helpful suggestions on where we can improve. In particular, they highlighted a few areas around the logon process that we’ll be looking to tighten up soon.”
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About Aston University
For over 130 years, Aston University has been making our world a better place through education, research and innovation. Our history is intertwined with the remarkable city of Birmingham, once the heartland of the Industrial Revolution and now the thriving base for an innovation ecosystem of global significance, which Aston is co-creating.
Our vision is to be a leading university for science, technology and enterprise, measured by the positive transformational impact we achieve for our people, students, businesses and the communities we serve.
Aston focuses on high-quality, exploitable research that has an impact on society through medical breakthroughs, advancements in engineering, policy and practice in government, and the strategies and performance of business.
The university offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes, as well as continuing professional development solutions.
Thanks to its focus on delivering excellent outcomes for students, Aston University's reputation continues to grow. It was recognised as the Daily Mail University of the Year for Student Success 2025, is second in England for social mobility (2023 HEPI Social Mobility Index), and is top 20 for graduate salaries (2024 Longitudinal Education Outcomes).
Aston University is now defining its place in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (and beyond) within a rapidly changing world.
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