Event Date
Abstract:
This presentation provides an overview of the Centre for Research in Information and Cybersecurity (CRICS) at Nelson Mandela University and its role within the South African higher education context and cybersecurity landscape. The session is intended as an informal discussion that introduces the Centre’s main activities, research interests, and collaborative engagements.
The presentation will briefly position the Centre within the South African context, including some of the opportunities and challenges associated with cybersecurity research, digital transformation, and capacity development in a developing-country environment. It will also provide an overview of the Centre’s research focus areas and contributions to information security and cybersecurity scholarship over the years.
A key focus of the discussion will be the Centre’s activities in postgraduate supervision, research, community and industry engagement, and partnerships with local and international collaborators. Examples of ongoing and past projects, supervision initiatives, and research themes will be shared to provide insight into the research being undertaken by academics and postgraduate students within the Centre.
The session aims to encourage dialogue around shared research interests, possible areas for collaboration, student engagement opportunities, and broader discussions on cybersecurity education and research in different international contexts.
Bio:
Professor Lynn Futcher is a Professor in the Department of Information Management and Governance within the School of Information Technology (SoIT), Faculty of Engineering, the Built Environment and Technology (EBET) at Nelson Mandela University in Gqeberha, South Africa. She plays a leading role in advancing research in the institution and serves as the Deputy Director of the Centre for Research in Information and Cyber Security (CRICS).
As a Professional Member of the Institute of IT Professionals in South Africa (IITPSA), Prof Futcher has made significant contributions to the ICT profession. She has served as a non-executive board director (2021–2025), is a long-standing member of both the Eastern Cape Chapter and the Women in IT Chapter, and participates actively in the IITPSA Cybersecurity Special Interest Group (SIGCyber). In November 2025, she was conferred as a Fellow of the IITPSA for her exceptional contribution made to the Institute, the industry, and the profession.
Prof Futcher has been involved in the International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP) Working Group 11.8 on Information Security Education since 2005, which promotes information security education, training, and awareness across academia, government, and industry. She has held several leadership roles within IFIP WG 11.8, including Chair, Vice-Chair, and Secretary. In January 2024, she was appointed the South African representative to IFIP Technical Committee 11 (TC11), which focuses on security and privacy in information processing systems, and she currently serves as the Working Group Coordinator for TC11.
As a National Research Foundation (NRF) C1-rated researcher, Prof Futcher’s primary research interests include information and cybersecurity education and secure software development. She also has a strong interest in IT governance and management, project management, human–computer interaction, user experience, and usable security. She is deeply committed to advancing cybersecurity skills development in South Africa and to strengthening national capacity to ensure resilience within an increasingly complex and rapidly evolving threat landscape.