Nurudeen from Nigeria talks about his life at Edinburgh Napier University.
"Learning cryptography in the home of one of the greatest mathematicians, John Napier. What more could you ask for?”
The selection of my course, Advanced Security and Digital Forensics at Edinburgh Napier University, was based on the reputation of the course when compared with masters courses offered by other universities in the United Kingdom and the rest of the world. The course covered the essential and in-depth knowledge within the distinct fields of technical and management information security and digital forensics which is increasingly a must-have for any cyber-security professional.
The history of the University also became one of the reasons that made the course an excellent choice - learning cryptography in the home of one of the greatest mathematicians. If you remember logarithms, you recall John Napier. What more can a cyber-security professional ask for.
"The course featured an excellent balance of academic theory and practical work."
The course featured an excellent balance of academic theory and practical work. The practical aspect of the course was in-depth, hands-on, technical and so much more. You can find the most relevant resources and tools available - all you need to become a cyber-security professional. These resources are also available for download and can be accessed virtually in the cloud. With the on-going partnership with leading companies such as RSA Security, HP Enterprise, Splunk and more, you know you will be using the latest tools and resources.
"The Merchiston Campus has a wudhu and ghusl (purification) room”
As a Muslim, salat (the prayer, preferably in a congregation) is important, mandatory and it is what I love to do most. The Edinburgh Napier Merchiston Campus has facilities for Muslims to observe this important aspect of their faith through the provision of a wudhu and ghusl (purification) room and also the quiet room for salat. This is what I love most about the University besides from learning about cyber-security under one of Scotland's best cyber-security professionals, Professor Bill Buchanan.
"There are abundant computing resources”
The labs and the library are also filled with various materials and resources for student use. Most of the applications required when studying in the School of Computing and Engineering can be accessed from anywhere through the cloud or virtualization. There are abundant computing resources at the Jack Kilby Computer Centre and also in the labs.
“You can hear various languages and different tongues melting into one, even on the bus”
The first impression I had of Edinburgh was of never ending rain and freezing temperatures. Don't blame me, I arrived to Edinburgh in January from the sunny city of Lagos, Nigeria. I have come to realise that there is more to Edinburgh than the rain.
Edinburgh, seems to me like the most beautiful and quiet city in the world. A place of serenity and peaceful co-existence. You can hear various languages and different tongues melting into one as you walk down the Royal Mile, Princes Street, or even on the bus.
"Scotland is home to everyone and truly unique from its high hills to its sights and sounds."
Oh Scotland, the home of kilts and haggis! Scotland is home to everyone and truly unique from its high hills to its sights and sounds. I would love to visit Inverness and drive through Loch Ness and Loch Leven again and again - the serenity is heart-warming.
There are also a lot of opportunities to volunteer. Mine included providing support to the good old folks at the Corstophine Youth Centre (CYC) on how to use their mobile devices (phones, tablets and laptops). Seeing the smiles on their faces when emails were received, got delivered or when seeing the cool features of their phones and tablets to ease their daily tasks was very rewarding.