How can the UK be resilient against possible security threats? That’s the background question for a collaborative technology platform between government, industry and academia to consider the scenario of a catastrophic attack on digital and energy networks in the year 2051.
Powered by Shift Platform, a collaboration tool developed by Belfast and London-based technology company Whitespace, the RBOC Community will enable the Resilience Beyond Observed Capabilities (RBOC) Network+.
The RBOC Network+ will enable the multi-million pound research project, headed by Coventry University, to bring academia, industry and policy makers together to collaborate with real time events, meetings, chats, white boards and discussion areas. Here, elements of the project can be tested. This allows research to be identified and brought to the attention of relevant collaborators, and for cross-sector teams to see where gaps lie and where new research is required. RBOC Network+ is the first major roll-out of the technology, having been developed as a tool for c-suite level executives who are part of Whitespace’s Corporate Innovation Community.
David MclHatton, RBOC Project Lead from Coventry University, said: “Collaborating effectively on a project of this scale is key for maximum impact. It will enable us to bring the project members together beyond in-person sessions, to digitally co-create and co-produce for greatest effect. We have chosen to adopt Shift Platform from Whitespace as our digital collaboration platform for this project, with the primary goal of opening up cross-organisational collaboration between academia, government and industry. We see this as providing a future-proofed opportunity for starting conversations around a resilient UK, set against the background of possible security threats of the future.”
Shift Platform has been developed as a white label SaaS (software as a service). The RBOC Network+ will bring collaborators from Coventry University, Cardiff University, Lancaster University, University of Manchester, Ulster University and the defence and security think-tank RUSI. The project has been supported by BAE Systems, Cambridge Consultants Ltd, Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Improbable Defence, International Leadership Association, Lancashire County Council, Ordnance Survey, PA Consultancy Services, and Whitespace.
Andrew Webber, CMO at Whitespace said: “For us, it is a great honour to make Shift Platform available for this hugely important collaborative project. It will be the first of many such platforms that we will be building for clients in academia, the public sector, and the private sector who are interested in transforming how they collaborate.”
Shift Platform: https://bit.ly/3Sqpe9f.
