NSU Re-designated as National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education

On April 17, NSU was re-designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education for the academic years 2008-2013 by the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). NSU first received this designation in March 2005 covering the period through March 2008.

Florida State University and NSU are the only designated national centers in Florida.

NSA's goal in establishing such centers is to reduce vulnerability in our national information infrastructure by promoting higher education in information assurance (IA) and producing more professionals with IA expertise in various disciplines. To support this effort, NSU’s Graduate School of Computer and Information Science offers the M.S. in information security, six master's concentration in information security, two Ph.D. concentrations in information security, and seven graduate certificates in information security. In addition, courses in or related to information security are offered in a wide range of programs in other NSU schools: Huizenga School of Business and Entrepreneurship, Criminal Justice Institute, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Shepard Broad Law Center, Farquhar College of Arts and Sciences, and Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences.

The establishment and maintenance of OIT policies related to information security at NSU was critical in securing the re-designation.