The 2018 National Cyber Summit will host a special reception which will feature the designation ceremony on the evening of Wednesday, June 6, which will honor academic institutions that are being designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CD) certificates by the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security. In addition, attendees will hear from a variety of speakers on cybersecurity topics. This is an excellent networking event involving industry, government, and academic representatives.

NSA and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) jointly sponsor the National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CD) Education (CAE-CDE), Two-Year Education (CAE-2Y) and Research (CAE-R) programs. The goal of these programs is to reduce vulnerability in our national information infrastructure by promoting higher education and research in CD and producing a growing number of professionals with CD expertise in various disciplines. Students attending CAE-CDE and CAE-R schools are eligible to apply for scholarships and grants through the Department of Defense Information Assurance Scholarship Program and the Federal Cyber Service Scholarship for Service Program. Designation as a Center does not carry a commitment for funding from NSA or DHS.

CAE-CD institutions receive formal recognition from the U.S. Government as well as opportunities for prestige and publicity for their role in securing our Nation’s information systems.