CAE in Cybersecurity Community
Center of Academic Excellence
In 2008, the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) designated CSUSB as a Center of Academic Excellence (CAE) in Information Assurance. A CAE designation is a coveted recognition for cyber schools as it demonstrates the standard of excellence for cyber education in the Nation. As a reflection of our excellence, in 2014 CSUSB received the designation as a CAE in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) and has been redesignated through 2028.
CAE in Cybersecurity Community
In 2020, the center became the CAE in Cybersecurity (CAE-C) Community National Center. Focused on the development of a robust cybersecurity workforce, the CAE-C Community National Center offers three primary functions to the 400+ CAE institutions and projects:
1. Provide technical and logistical support for CAE events, activities, and curriculum
2. Provide a portal of CAE resources for the community, geographic regions, and the Nation as a whole
3. Engage and facilitate strategic initiatives for the Nation in the areas of research, student and faculty development, diversity, and other workforce development activities
The CAE in Cybersecurity Community also provides additional services to the community, including the CAE National Cybersecurity Virtual Career Fair, event management, travel assistance, and knowledge management. We work closely with the CAE-C Program Office to produce materials, resources, and tools for the CAE-C community.
CAE Events
The CAE-C Community hosts two main events each year, the CAE National Cybersecurity Virtual Career Fair and the CAE in Cybersecurity Symposium.
CAE National Cybersecurity Virtual Career Fair
The CAE National Cybersecurity Virtual Career Fair, sponsored by the National Cybersecurity Training and Education (NCyTE) Center and the National Science Foundation (NSF), invites all students, alumni, and faculty from CAE-C designated institutions to network with employers from across the nation. Since 2016, over 7,000 students, alumni, and faculty from CAE-C designated institutions participated in the career fair. The next CAE Virtual Career Fair is September 22, 2023.
CAE in Cybersecurity Symposium
Starting in 2015 with a grant from the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE), the CAE in Cybersecurity Symposium brought together cybersecurity educators from across the nation to discuss curriculum, program changes, as well as faculty development. In 2019, the community reached a milestone with the symposium, with over 300 people from CAE-C designated institutions participating in the event. Despite COVID-19 limitations in 2020, the Symposium was held virtually with a record attendance of 370.
The CAE in Cybersecurity Community National Center is supported by the National Security Agency (NSA) under grant #H98230-20-1-0292 and the US Department of Commerce National Institute of Standards and Technology grant #60NANB16D309.