- The University of Portsmouth’s Centre for Cybercrime and Economic Crime has partnered with the Almaty Police Academy, Kazakhstan, marked by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
- The collaboration will focus on the areas of cybercrime, cybersecurity, economic crime, and policing, marking the first time the Almaty Police Academy collaborates with a UK academic institution in the field of cybercrime and cybersecurity education and research.
- In the future, the partnership aims to formulate a concrete action plan, with a series of meetings scheduled in Spring with Academy and government officials.
The University of Portsmouth plays a significant role in researching and combating global cybercrime issues. This MoU signifies a strategic alliance between the two institutions, contributing to the University’s global reputation and the Centre for Cybercrime and Economic Crimes role in a region taking significant strides in combating cyber threats.
For Almaty Police Academy, this marks their first-ever collaboration with a UK institution in the same field. The agreement vastly opens up opportunities for engagement and allows them to work more closely and regularly with the University, significantly contributing to the region’s endeavors in policing and combating cybercrime more efficiently.
Cybercrime is a significant threat impacting on global economies, government stability, and citizen well-being. It is essential that solutions are identified to tackle the different forms of cybercrimes and online harms—a primary focus for this partnership. The University of Portsmouth has a well-established reputation of expertise in cybercrime and cybersecurity, making them valuable allies in this endeavor.
Other recent work from the University has impacted upon the development of the Online Safety Act 2023, as well as the ongoing review of the Computer Misuse Act. Members of the Centre regularly advise government and law enforcement agencies on future technologies and developing cybercrime risks involving AI and Metaverse environments.
The signing of this MoU marks the initiation of regular meetings and collaborations, forming wider networks and sharing more knowledge and resources to bring together collective power against cybercrime.