20. The Role of CAE-CDE in Cybersecurity Education for Workforce Development

With a fast-growing demand for properly trained cybersecurity professionals to defend our cyber space and information systems, effective cybersecurity education programs and courses with consistent and reliable quality control and evaluation are necessary to prepare qualified workforce for the cybersecurity industry. The national Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE-CDE) designation program jointly sponsored by the US National Security Agency (NSA) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is a rigorous certification and national standard for maintaining quality of cybersecurity education. This paper explains the CAE-CDE program criteria and requirements and discusses the important role of the designation in cybersecurity education and workforce development. This paper illustrates the educational value and impact of the CAE-CDE program with case studies of three different institutions: (1) University of Missouri—St. Louis, which has obtained the CAE-CDE and Security Policy Development and Compliance Focus Area designations; (2) American Public University System, which has just completed the application for CAE-CDE; and (3) Robert Morris University, which is in the process of applying for the CAE-CDE designation.