The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the National Security Agency have designated Illinois Institute of Technology as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education, effective until 2020. Our ability to meet the increasing demands of the program criteria will serve the nation well in contributing to the protection of the National Information Infrastructure. The Presidents’ National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace, February 2003, and the International Strategy for Cyberspace, May 2011, addresses the critical shortage of professionals with these skills and highlights the importance of higher education as a solution to defending America’s cyberspace: “Like all nations, the United States has a compelling interest in defending its vital national assets, as well as our core principles and values, and we are committed to defending against those who would attempt to impede our ability to do so.” Education is the key to promoting these ideals.

This designation recognizes the accomplishments of IIT in the areas of cyber security and digital forensics education, spearheaded by the Department of Information Technology and Management (ITM) and the IIT Center for Cyber Security and Forensics Education (C²SAFE). The ITM Department’s key offering in this area is the Master of Cyber Forensics and Security degree, designed to help students, and experienced information technology professionals become cyber security and forensics practitioners, investigators, managers, and leaders. This degree is intended for students who are interested in cyber security, digital forensics, risk control, and information assurance, and draws on the extensive professional experience of our ITM faculty.

The Center of Academic Excellence (CAE) in Cyber Defense (CD) designation is a new designation based on updated academic criteria for Cybersecurity education and affords each CAE institution the opportunity to distinguish its strengths in specific focus areas. The updated criteria benefit not only the institution, but also students, employers and hiring managers throughout the Nation.

Official letters of notification of IIT’s designation were sent to the university, the Governor of Illinois, Members of Congress, and appropriate Congressional Committees. The official CAE Certificate will be awarded during a ceremony at the CAE Community Meeting being held in conjunction with the NICE (National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education) Conference in San Diego, California, November 3-4, 2015.