Strength in Collaboration: Acumen Cyber at UCISA DISC26

Overview

• Date: 7th & 8th October 2026

• Location: Hilton Newcastle Tyne Bridge, Bottle Bank, Gateshead, NE8 2AR (What3words: ///search.candle.took)

• Format: Two-day joint national conference

• Cost: Registration required (UCISA criteria apply)

Digital transformation across the educational sector is accelerating at a breakneck pace, but so is the velocity and sophistication of the threat landscape. For Higher Education and Further Education institutions, maintaining seamless operational resilience isn't just an internal IT target - it is non-negotiable.

For the first milestone joint conference between UCISA’s Digital Infrastructure and Security Groups, the core focus centres entirely on 'Strength in Collaboration'. Acumen Cyber is heading to Gateshead to join the conversation. Our very own Spencer Misstear will be on the ground for both days. We are there to move past standard industry buzzwords and engage in practical, candid discussions about how security and infrastructure teams can break down internal silos, align strategies, and build human-led cyber defences.

Register Now - Visit UCISA

Why Attend DISC26?

The newly co-hosted DISC26 conference is a vital hub for sector-wide collaboration, strategic benchmarking, and actionable knowledge-sharing. Shaped directly by the community's recent DISC26 Topics Survey, attending will allow you to:

• Unlock Better Institutional Outcomes: Discover how deep partnerships between security and infrastructure teams enable efficiencies, create value, and overcome complex operational challenges.

• Combat Evolving Threats: Gain clear, real-world insights into modern attack vectors, shifting adversarial tactics, and proactive mitigation steps.

• Network with Industry Peers: Connect with senior executives, CIOs, CISOs, and technical specialists from across the tertiary education ecosystem to share successful joint approaches.

  Register Now - Visit UCISA

Who is the Event For?

UCISA DISC26 is specifically designed for colleagues across the HE, FE, and public sectors responsible for managing digital spaces, including:

• CIOs, CISOs, and IT Directors

• Digital Infrastructure Managers and Network Teams

• Security Architects, Engineers, and Systems Specialists

• Operational leaders looking to bridge the gap between technical infrastructure and risk mitigation

  Register Now - Visit UCISA

Connect with Spencer and the Team at the Acumen Stand 

Throughout the event, Spencer Misstear will be stationed at the Acumen exhibition stand to chat with attendees. We believe that the most robust security partnerships are built on direct human collaboration, not rigid automation operating at arm's length.

Stop by the stand to:

• Discuss Breaking Internal Silos: Traditionally, infrastructure teams build networks while security teams protect them - a division of labour that can introduce blind spots. Let's talk about how aligning infrastructure with continuous threat validation can turn threat data into an advantage without adding user friction.

• Explore Engineer-Led SOC & MDR: Learn how our flat corporate structure eliminates traditional tiered analyst models, giving your enterprise direct, unmitigated access to accredited cyber defence engineers rather than basic helpdesks.

• Accelerate Digital Maturity: Discover how continuous validation combined with our predictable, all-in pricing - featuring absolutely no data ingestion charges - gives your team live visibility over control coverage with zero risk of bill creep.

Secure Your Place

Spaces for this premier regional and national gathering are limited, and advanced registration is required. Don't leave your institution's protection to chance—secure your spot today, visit the Acumen stand, and join the conversation to help shape a more secure, integrated, and resilient tomorrow for our public institutions.

Register Now - Visit UCISA