Students seeking an education in cybersecurity will be pleased to learn the University of Hawai‘i Maui College is now one of a handful of colleges designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in cyber defense education. The national designation will be valid through academic year 2024 for UHMC’s four-year Applied Business and Information Technology (ABIT) bachelor’s degree program.
The designation is given by the National Security Agency and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to promote higher education and research in cyber defense, and produce professionals with cyber defense expertise. Nationwide, only about 200 universities have been admitted to the CAE program.
UH Maui College was approved after meeting a rigorous criteria, which includes multiple assessments, comments, and mentorship. The approval validates the courses offered in the university to be closely aligned with national standards in cybersecurity by experts in the field. The designation opens up more opportunities for scholarships, grants, and other avenues to develop the curriculum, such as hosting conferences.
“Current and future students of our cybersecurity programs can be more confident about the training they receive at UH Maui College,” said ABIT program coordinator Debasis Bhattacharya. “Not only it is an impressive thing to have on a resume, but the center is committed to providing a competitive and resilient workforce to help address vulnerabilities in our community’s security.”
The quest for the national designation was led by Bhattacharya, who also oversees activities under UH Maui College’s Center for Cybersecurity Education and Research, which was established in 2015. Corporations and government agencies, such as military branches who are seeking cybersecurity education contracts, look to only universities within the CAE program; UH Maui College now meets this requirement.
Those interested in applying for the program or learning more about ABIT, can go to Maui.hawaii.edu/abit. Questions also will be answered in person at the UH Maui College Spring Open House on Wednesday April 10, from 5-7pm at the Student Lounge in Pilina Building.
–
Image courtesy University of Hawaii
Comments
comments