Case Study: University of Surrey achieves campus-wide cyber awareness and efficiency with Proofpoint Security Awareness Training

University of Surrey’s Edification for its Cyber Protection

The University of Surrey, a leading UK research university of roughly 17,000 students and staff, needed to protect a range of previously siloed functions from cyber threats that target people rather than systems. With finance, research and service teams facing different risks and a small security team lacking a structured, customisable education programme, the university sought a way to raise awareness and stop attackers from exploiting uninformed users.

After an ISO 27001 gap analysis and a Gartner‑informed procurement, Surrey deployed Proofpoint Security Awareness Training, rolling out six baseline modules and hyper‑specific courses (e.g., BEC, PCI DSS) tailored by role. The platform has extended the security team’s reach, increased executive and campus‑wide cyber awareness, improved efficiency for time‑poor staff, strengthened overall cyber hygiene, and supported the university’s bid for NCSC ACE‑CSE Gold accreditation.

University of Surrey

Tom Ascroft

Chief Information Security Officer