It was with great sadness that we learned last week of the passing of our colleague and friend Andrew Cormack – a man who truly embodied Jisc’s ethos of using technology as a force for good in the world of education and research.

All those who worked with him will remember him as a man of intelligence, passion and warmth, and he will be greatly missed by colleagues at Jisc as well as across the sector and beyond. 

Andrew’s achievements are too many to list here, but his contributions to increasing the effectiveness of law in protecting people, data and systems cannot be overstated.

Having joined Jisc in 1999 to lead JANET CERT (what is now Jisc CSIRT), Andrew became chief regulatory adviser. As well as his security, data protection and legal knowledge, his acknowledged mastery of the interplay between legal and engineering concerns made him one of the most respected experts in the global cyber security and policy communities.

A life-long distance learner and prolific blogger, Andrew was never too busy to be supportive to colleagues. We have already received many messages from across the globe paying tribute not only to his brilliance but also his kindness as a mentor and friend, and we echo those sentiments unreservedly.