海角社区earns redesignation as National Center for Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense
The 海角社区 School of Computing has earned federal redesignation as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) through academic year 2029. The National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE-C) program is managed by the National Security Agency’s National Cryptologic School.
海角社区achieved the Cyber Defense designation for the first time in 2019 and established the 海角社区Center for Cybersecurity. The center provides cybersecurity program guidance and oversight, general cyber defense information as well as collaboration and outreach among students, faculty and other institutions in the region. It also includes the OspreySec student club that participates in national cybersecurity competitions. The team won overall first place in the 2023 Southeast Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition regionals and qualified for nationals.
The center is part of the Cyber Security Pathways Coalition Collaboration Team, the Cyber Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GR&C) Coalition, and the Sunshine Coalition for GenCyber Summer Camps.
The CAE re-designation process involved a rigorous review and validation of UNF’s Bachelor of Science in Information Technology program, and a thorough subsequent application for the designation. Dr. Swapnoneel Roy, computing associate professor, led the application with support from Dr. Zornitza G. Prodanoff, computing interim director and professor.
UNF’s School of Computing also recently launched two graduate programs to meet the growing workforce demand for advanced expertise in cybersecurity: a Master of Science in Computing & Information Sciences with a concentration in cybersecurity in 2021 and a Ph.D. in Computing with a concentration in cybersecurity in 2024.
The NCAE-C program aims to create and manage a collaborative educational environment that establishes standards for cybersecurity curriculum and academic excellence, includes competency development among students and faculty, values community outreach and leadership in professional development, integrates cybersecurity practice within the institution across academic disciplines and actively engages in solutions to challenges facing cybersecurity education.
NCAE-C federal partners include the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Federal Bureau of Investigation, National Institute of Standards and Technology, National Initiative on Cybersecurity Education, National Science Foundation, Department of Defense Office of the Chief Information Officer, and U.S. Cyber Command.