Saint Louis University has been designated a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) by the National Security Agency (NSA) and U.S. Cyber Command.
The CAE-CD designation identifies institutions committed to producing world-class cybersecurity professionals with the knowledge and skills to reduce risks to national cyberinfrastructure.
This designation signifies an institution has excelled in its academic programs in interdisciplinary, hands-on cybersecurity instruction. SLU has been designated for its master’s program in cybersecurity.
“Cybersecurity plays a critical role in keeping our nation’s infrastructure safe,” said Maria Weber, director of SLU’s master’s program in cybersecurity. “Being designated as a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense reinforces Saint Louis University’s status as one of the nation’s premier research and training institutions providing a world-class education in cybersecurity.”
SLU is one of only five universities nationally that has been designated as both an NSA Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) and an Intelligence Community Center of Academic Excellence (IC-CAE). SLU received the IC-CAE designation in 2022. The designation and $2.5 million in grant funding support the design and development of intelligence-related STEM curricula and programmatic training opportunities to prepare students for careers in the field of intelligence.
The NSA and the DoD Cyber Academic Engagement Office jointly sponsor the CAE-CD program. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence sponsors the IC-CAE program.
With both designations, SLU students can compete for prestigious scholarships and internships, conduct research on real-world problems, and participate in nationwide competitions. Graduates of these programs are highly sought after by employers in the private and public sectors.