FORENSICS software used by police investigators around the world is set to be used in classrooms at a Scottish university.
Edinburgh Napier’s School of Computing has become one of only a handful of UK university departments to be awarded EnCase Centre of Excellence status.
The EnCase software, produced by Guidance Systems Inc, is used by courts and investigators around the world, and is the leading software package for evidence collection.
The technology will be used to support computer security and digital forensics teaching and research, as well as the training of law enforcement professionals around Scotland.
Sally Smith, head of the School of Computing, said: “We have developed considerable expertise in computer security, and we currently engage with a wide range of local companies in order to keep our programmes up-to-date and leading-edge.
“This award will help support our students so that they have skills that are well matched to the increasing demand for graduates in these areas.”
The move has been welcomed by the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency (SCDEA), which works closely with the university.
Detective Chief Inspector Steven Wilson, of the SCDEA, said: “The inclusion of Edinburgh Napier as a centre of excellence in EnCase will be of significant benefit to Scottish forces and will lay sound foundations for future projects to identify innovative ways to investigate crime on the internet.
“The clear objective is to make the internet a safer place for Scottish people and businesses, and our partnership with Edinburgh Napier is an excellent example of law enforcement working with academia to achieve this.”
Edinburgh Napier’s Professor Bill Buchanan, who is leading an initiative for the creation of a Scottish centre of excellence in security and cybercrime, added: “Our aim is to make Scotland a world leader in computer security and cybercrime.
“At present, the nation has all the right elements to lead in these areas, including a strong industrial base, which has links into law enforcement and academia.”
MEDIA RELEASE posted by Edinburgh Napier University. You too can post media releases (aka press releases) on allmediascotland.com. For more information, email here.
Contact: Patrick McFall
Phone: 0131 455 6314
Email: p.mcfall@napier.ac.uk
Website: http://www.napier.ac.uk
