The government is to spend GBP2m a year on a cyber-security centre.
The centre will act as an international forum to draw together private sector,governments and international organisations,said the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in a statement.
The announcement builds on the launch of GBP3.8m cyber security research institute this month,which will run for a period of three and a half years and involve seven universities.
A competition will be run between those universities,with one institute expected to win the additional funding of up to GBP2m to head up the global centre of excellence,an FCO spokesman said.
William Hague,foreign secretary,said the centre will provide advice to countries on how to address cyber security challenges."In an interconnected and interdependent world,it is only by ensuring the security of others that we can protect our own networks and our ability to log-on safely.It is in all our interests,"he said ahead of Budapest Conference on Cyberspace where the announcement will be made.
Francis Maude,minister for cyber security in the Cabinet Office,said:"The quicker that cyber-security capacity can grow globally,the faster our online community become more secure".
