The Center of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (CAE-C) designation is awarded to regionally accredited U.S. institutions of higher education that meet rigorous requirements in their commitment to producing cybersecurity professionals who will reduce vulnerabilities in our national infrastructure.

CAE designations are awarded by the joint sponsors of the program, the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

All educational institutions interested in applying for CAE designations must complete the online CAE Program Applicant Checklist on the CAE Community website. This webform application guides candidates through the program requirements and provides a self-assessment of readiness. Once the results have been reviewed, institutions intending to apply for the CAE are referred to either Program Development or Application Assistance.

Educational institutions referred to Program Development typically require one year to be ready to apply for the designation; they need to complete the Program Development phase before progressing to the Application Assistance phase. Educational institutions referred to Application Assistance generally need six months to prepare to apply.

The National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE-C) program is managed by the National Cryptologic School at the National Security Agency.

The mission of the National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE) program is to create and manage a collaborative cybersecurity educational program with community colleges, colleges, and universities that:

• 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.

Federal partners include the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)/National Initiative on Cybersecurity Education (NICE), the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Department of Defense Office of the Chief Information Officer (DoD-CIO), and US Cyber Command (CYBERCOM).

Whatcom Community College (WCC) in Bellingham, Washington, has been selected by the National Security Agency (NSA) to lead efforts to improve and expand cybersecurity education nationwide as a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) National Resource Center. In this role, Whatcom leads the CAE Candidates Program National Center. The NSA bestows the designation, which recognizes colleges and universities that meet industry-recognized standards of education and training in the cyber defense field, with curriculum mapped to the NSA’s latest requirements.

Please visit the NCAE-C Website.