This event has now passed.
Shaping the Future of FE Resilience: Managed Security Operations Roundtable
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Date: Thursday, 26 February 2026
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Location: Titanic Hotel, Belfast
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Admission: Free / Invitation Only (Advanced registration of interest required)
RSVPs are now closed.
Overview
Digital transformation across the educational public sector is accelerating at a breakneck pace, but so is the sophistication of the threat landscape. For Further Education (FE) institutions, maintaining operational resilience isn't just an IT target - it is non-negotiable. To move past traditional industry silos and address these shifting operational pressures, Acumen Cyber is bringing together academia, HEFESTIS, and senior IT leaders from across the FE sector for an exclusive, peer-led roundtable at the Titanic Hotel in Belfast.
This closed-door, invitation-only session is explicitly designed for open, strategic discussion on what becomes possible when FE institutions choose to work together. From reducing collective cyber risk and optimising technology investments to strengthening long-term digital resilience, this session explores the practical advantages of partnership-led security models.
Why Attend?
The Managed Security Operations Roundtable serves as a vital hub for regional collaboration and strategic knowledge-sharing. By securing your place at the table, you will:
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Advance Collaborative Security: Discover how deep sector-wide partnerships can help secure and future-proof your institution's infrastructure.
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Optimise Strategic Investment: Explore how shared service models allow colleges to reduce overall cyber risk and maximise stretched internal budgets.
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Strengthen Digital Resilience: Gain clear, real-world insights into modern attack vectors and establish partnership-driven security frameworks built for today's realities.
The Strategic Focus: Collaboration Over Silos
The Power of Shared Services in Further Education
In an era of tight budgets and compressed internal timelines, trying to run an entirely self-managed, 24/7 security operation can leave massive blind spots across educational networks. Navigating this shifting environment requires a collaborative blueprint.
During this roundtable, we will examine how pooling regional expertise and leveraging managed cyber security solutions allows public sector organisations to continuously validate their security controls against real-world adversary behaviour without adding operational friction. By moving away from isolated setups, the session outlines a practical roadmap to shift the conversation from a reactive security posture to a state of proven, measurable resilience.
Who is the Event For?
This roundtable is specifically curated for information security professionals and leadership profiles within the Further Education and wider academic sectors, including:
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CIOs, CISOs, and IT Directors
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Senior executives and institutional public sector decision-makers
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Network managers and infrastructure teams
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Shared service coordinators, technology architects, and procurement leads
Meet the Acumen Team at the Table
Our very own Spencer Misstear will be in attendance throughout the session, contributing directly to the candid conversations, shared learning, and practical, real-world outcomes.
We believe that the most robust security outcomes are built on direct human collaboration, not automated black boxes operating at arm's length. Because resilient security in education is ultimately powered by people, not silos, Spencer will be on hand to discuss how a flat operational structure can provide your institution with direct access to accredited cyber defence engineers rather than rigid, detached ticketing systems.
Secure Your Place
Spaces for this cornerstone regional roundtable are strictly limited due to the closed-door format, and advanced validation is required. Don't leave your institution's protection to chance - request an invitation today to join the conversation, connect with your peers, and help shape a more secure, collaborative, and resilient tomorrow for our educational institutions.
Please note that submitting your request registers your interest, but admission requires formal approval from the hosting committee. Your formal venue entry details will be issued via email upon confirmation.
RSVPs are now closed.