Syracuse University has been designated once again as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE-C) through the academic year 2028. The program is administered by the National Security Agency (NSA), and the goal is to promote and support quality academic programs of higher learning that help produce the nation’s cyber workforce.
The combination of required elements for the designation assures that the institution meets the desired characteristics of a CAE institution, and that the academic delivery to students is producing the qualified workforce needed by the nation. Students attending CAE institutions are eligible for the applications of scholarships and grants that require the CAE designation status.
Since the original CAE designation in 2001 as one of the 18 elite academic institutions nationally, Syracuse has continuously maintained its CAE status by receiving re-designations successfully. Meanwhile, the CAE criteria have been updated with more rigorous requirements through multiple review rounds, including the new NSA PoS (Program of Study) Validation, evidence of sound cybersecurity posture/plan, sustainability, professional development, outreach activities, and others.
According to the new criteria, the University received the NSA PoS Validation in 2022 with the BPS (Bachelor of Professional Studies) program in Cybersecurity Administration at the College of Professional Studies. This CAE re-designation reaffirms the university’s high-quality education and related activities in the cybersecurity area.
Dr. Joon Park, a professor at the university’s School of Information Studies, served as the Point of Contact (PoC) and led the efforts for Syracuse’s PoS validation and CAE designations with other faculty, staff members, program directors, and students in the cybersecurity area across the following campuses:
- College of Arts & Science
- College of Engineering & Computer Science
- College of Law
- College of Professional Studies
- Maxwell School of Citizenship & Public Affairs
- and the iSchool
Park attended the CAE designation ceremony at the National Cybersecurity Education Colloquium in Chicago in September.
“Despite the rigorous demands, serving as the PoC brought about gratifying experiences as I collaborated with our dedicated colleagues and students with honors and privileges, guided by the support and directives from the CAE program officers,” says Park.
“The designation signifies that the University has the ability to meet the increasing demand for the protection of the National Information Infrastructure with our top-tier achievements in cybersecurity education through the courseware quality, faculty engagement, students’ learning outcomes, and administration,” adds Park. “Moving forward, we will continuously contribute to the National Cyber Strategy with our cybersecurity education!”
In the photo (from left):
Representative from FBI
Dr. Joon Park, PoC & Professor, School of Information Studies, Syracuse University
Representative from NSA
Representative from CISA
