Ontario Cybersecurity Higher Education Consortium:
Collaboration and Community-Driven Cybersecurity
ORION recognizes that today’s dynamic higher education environment demands a proactive approach to cybersecurity. Rising cyber threats, budget constraints, limited cybersecurity talent, and organizational complexities make it difficult for many institutions to adequately secure their environments.
The Ontario Cybersecurity Higher Education Consortium (ON-CHEC) addresses these challenges head-on by offering cost-effective guidance, programs, and shared tools. Through active collaboration, security leaders gain timely insights and the resources they need to navigate evolving risks and maintain business continuity.
Built as a consortium of Ontario colleges and universities supported by ORION, this service offers tiered membership levels designed to match diverse needs and budgets – making expert security support accessible to institutions of all sizes.
Through community-driven knowledge sharing and delivering tailored advisory services, ON-CHEC empowers members to enhance risk awareness, strengthen incident readiness, and collaboratively raise the collective cybersecurity posture of higher education. From the fair and accessible pricing model to the co-created frameworks and shared solutions, our approach is grounded in helping each member safeguard their institution while supporting the security of the broader community.
Test Your Cyber Readiness in a World-Class Cyber Range
ON-CHEC members can put their cyber incident response plans to the test through immersive, customized tabletop exercises delivered by ORION at the University of Ottawa’s IBM Cyber Range. The experience brings together ORION’s sector-specific cybersecurity expertise and the Cyber Range’s unique infrastructure, giving institutional teams access to a world-class, real-world simulation environment where they can practise decision-making, strengthen coordination and identify readiness gaps before an actual incident occurs.
ORION works with each participating institution to define its objectives, develop a scenario tailored to its environment and facilitate the exercise. The University of Ottawa’s IBM Cyber Range provides the immersive infrastructure that brings the scenario to life, creating a realistic, high-pressure setting in which leaders and response teams can safely test their plans and build confidence.
ON-CHEC members use 20 credits for ORION’s exercise design and facilitation services. Cyber Range fees are arranged and paid separately by the participating institution directly to the University of Ottawa.
Ready to explore a customized Cyber Range tabletop exercise for your institution? Contact communitydev@orion.on.ca to discuss your objectives and next steps.
If you have any questions about ORION cybersecurity services, please contact: