Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. has announced that UCEN Manchester has been named an official Check Point SecureAcademy partner.

The designation makes UCEN Manchester the latest UK institution to join Check Point’s global network of academic partners, providing students with direct access to an industry-leading cybersecurity curriculum, professional certification pathways, and hands-on experience with enterprise-grade security technologies used to prevent cyber attacks before they impact organisations.

The partnership arrives at a pivotal moment for the UK’s cybersecurity skills pipeline.

With demand for qualified security professionals continuing to outpace supply, initiatives that bridge the gap between academic study and industry-ready expertise are increasingly critical as organisations face increasingly sophisticated, AI‑driven cyber threats.

Skills shortage

Graeme Stewart, head of public sector at Check Point, said: “The UK faces a very real and growing cybersecurity skills shortage, and closing that gap requires sustained, meaningful collaboration between industry and education.

“Partnerships like this one are exactly how we do that, by embedding world-class, vendor-validated curriculum directly into the programmes that future security professionals are studying today, reflecting how cyber attacks are prevented in real-world environments.

“What makes UCEN Manchester a compelling partner is its clear commitment to equipping students not just with theoretical knowledge, but with the practical, multi-vendor fluency that public and private sector employers are actively looking for, as they seek professionals who can operate across complex, hybrid security environments. We look forward to seeing the next generation of cybersecurity talent come through this programme.”

Growing connections

Michael Walsh, Deputy Principal and Dean, UCEN Manchester, said: “Securing a partnership with Check Point is a significant achievement for our School of Computing and Cybersecurity, reflecting the pace at which we are growing our connections with leading employers and industry partners.

“It further builds on UCEN Manchester’s existing relationships with leading global technology and cybersecurity education programmes, ensuring we remain at the forefront of multi-vendor technical education.

“By providing access to multiple industry leaders, we ensure our students possess the technical agility and professional confidence required by modern employers.”

The Check Point SecureAcademy programme was established as a core pillar of Check Point Services in response to the widening gap between the number of cybersecurity roles available globally and the pool of qualified candidates to fill them, extending the same security expertise and methodologies trusted by enterprises worldwide into academic and non-profit environments.

The programme partners with higher-education institutions and non-profit organisations worldwide, delivering a curriculum that spans multiple security domains and is underpinned by access to Check Point’s own technology, including the Check Point Infinity Platform, and content from partner providers, including EC-Council and Cybrary.

Threat research

Students will also gain exposure to AI‑powered threat intelligence informed by Check Point’s global threat research, helping them understand how modern cyber attacks evolve and how defenders can proactively stop them.

SecureAcademy partners gain access to a grant initiative that provides up to $60,000 in annual content and services, removing financial barriers to delivering high-quality cybersecurity training and enabling institutions to build or enhance programmes at scale.

Through the Check Point SecureAcademy designation, UCEN Manchester students enrolled in computing and cybersecurity programmes will benefit from:

• Specialised curriculum: integration of Check Point’s advanced security architecture across cloud, network, and endpoint security into taught programmes
• Professional certification pathways: clearly defined routes to industry-recognised credentials that are respected by employers across the global job market
• Hands-on practical experience: direct exposure to the enterprise-level technologies used to protect some of the world’s largest organisations
• Multi-vendor fluency: the ability to navigate complex security ecosystems, a capability increasingly sought by employers across sectors

Graduates will enter the workforce equipped not only with technical knowledge but with the professional confidence and adaptability demanded by modern security operations environments, where prevention, automation, and intelligence‑led security are critical.