World War II codebreakers site to become cyber education college

A historic site that was used by Britain's codebreakers during World War II could become the country's first national college of cyber education.

Plans are under way to restore derelict buildings in Bletchley Park, where mathematician Alan Turing cracked the Nazi's "unbreakable" Enigma code, aiding British war efforts in the process.

The free-to-attend boarding school will start in September 2018 with an initial intake of 100 students.

It will teach cyber skills to "the UK's most gifted 16-19-year-old prodigies, challenging and developing them into the top flight cyber security professionals of tomorrow", according to a statement.

The project, unveiled by the not-for-profit body Qufaro, is funded part publicly and part privately, as part of a national plan to establish a UK national cyber security hub.

Students will be selected through talent spotting and an entrance exam.

Once in the school, forty percent of the curriculum will consist of cyber studies while the remaining subjects will include maths, physics, and computer science.

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"Our cyber education and innovation landscape is complex, disconnected and incomplete putting us at risk of losing a whole generation of critical talent," said Alastair MacWilson, chair of Qufaro.

"For those interested in forging a career in cyber [security], the current pathway is filled with excellent but disparate initiatives – each playing a vital role without offering a truly unified ecosystem of learning and support."

"By connecting what already exists and filling the gaps, Qufaro will make it easier for budding professionals to grow their cyber security skills at every stage of their journey, and contribute more to the sector as a result."

The college will be housed in Bletchley Park's Block G after a £5m restoration project.

"Through initiatives such as the National College and the Cyber Investment Fund we can effectively combine the principles of heritage, education and innovation for which everything on this site stands," said Margaret Sale, Qufaro non-executive director and founding member of both the Bletchley Park Trust and The National Museum of Computing.

"Previous generations are deeply proud of their contributions at Bletchley Park. I am keen to see what the next cadre will achieve," she said.