Limerick-based centre to take part in €15m cybersecurity research project

LERO, the Irish Software Research Centre which is headquartered at the University of Limerick, has been selected to take part in a €15m cybersecurity research project.  

Dr Liliana Pasquale of University College Dublin and Professor Bashar Nuseibeh of UL will head the Irish team for the CyberSec4Europe, a 42-month project which was launched in Brussels this Friday. 

“Cybersecurity has become one of the key challenges of our time,” Professor Nuseibeh said. 

“The EU wishes to ensure that it retains and develops essential capacities to secure its digital economy, infrastructures, society and democracy.”

“This Horizon 2020 initiative will establish and operate a pilot for a Cybersecurity Competence Network and develop and implement a common cybersecurity research and innovation roadmap.”

This development will give researchers in Ireland “the chance to be part for the first time in a major international research programme in cybersecurity,” Dr Liliana Pasquale added. 

“It will help to place Ireland as one of the leading EU countries in cybersecurity research.”

“The EU has recognised that cybersecurity research, competences and investments are spread across Europe with too little alignment.”

“There is an urgent need to step up investment in technological advancements that could make the Digital Single Market more cyber secure and overcome the fragmentation of EU research capacities.”

CyberSec4Europe will connect 43 research centres and facilities, bringing together cybersecurity expertise from across Europe while developing a governance model for the future European Cybersecurity Competence Network. 

The CyberSec4Europe contract will run until July 2022.