The UCCS College of Business will use a $3.35 million grant from the U.S. National Security Agency to educate, train and develop faculty in cybersecurity. UCCS will serve as a strategic partner for a consortium of educational institutions to deliver a comprehensive, programmatic approach to cybersecurity faculty development. The grant will provide cybersecurity education to more than 1,500 participants over the next two years.
“As cybersecurity balloons as a critical element in the education of our future workforce, the shortage of qualified instructors becomes a prime worry,” said Gary Klein, Couger professor of information systems. “We are pleased to partner with a large consortium of top institutions addressing this need.”
The consortium includes a partnership with 10 prominent academic institutions, from community colleges to elite research universities, that specialize in cybersecurity instruction. The grant will offer certificates in narrow cybersecurity topics, masters and doctoral degrees in cybersecurity and cybersecurity management, boot camps in cybersecurity technology and courses and pedagogy to fill specific knowledge gaps. In addition to faculty training, the grant will also aim to engage 100 educational institutions to support the development of cybersecurity management degree programs.
“We are excited to be partnering with the NSA and over 10 other leading cybersecurity academic institutions to provide quality faculty development that will lead to increased student learning in these 21st century needs,” said Rob Block, associate dean of the College of Business.
UCCS will be charged with recruiting industry experts to participate in a Professors of Practice program. By partnering with government and industry employers, UCCS will recruit current professionals in the field of cybersecurity and train them on pedagogy, curriculum development and soft skill classroom dynamics. The ‘Professors of Practice’ will then be placed in classrooms as full-time, adjunct faculty or guest lecturers to increase the development and expansion of current and future NSA Centers of Academic Excellence cybersecurity programs.
“We are honored to do our part in helping our country address the critical shortage of cybersecurity faculty across various universities and community colleges,” said Gurvirender Tejay, associate professor of information systems.
For more information about the NSA Cybersecurity Faculty Development grant, contact Tejay at [email protected].
About the UCCS College of Business
The College of Business was established in 1965 and has more than 1,300 undergraduates and 350 MBA students. The College of Business and Administration awards the Bachelor of Science in Business and Bachelor of Innovation degrees. The Graduate School of Business Administration awards the Master of Business Administration, Master of Science in Accounting and Executive Doctor of Business Administration degrees. More than 10,000 alumni of the College of Business live and work around the world. Learn more about the College of Business at UCCS.
About Cybersecurity at UCCS
UCCS is a recognized cybersecurity education leader in the region, awarding hundreds of degrees each year in cybersecurity fields at bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels. UCCS cybersecurity programs train security professionals who work to ensure the nation’s security, support faculty research and strategic cybersecurity partnerships with industry, government, military and academic institutions, including the U.S. Space Force and the National Cybersecurity Center. Due to generous Colorado state funding of cybersecurity education, UCCS students are eligible for significant financial aid towards security degree scholarships. Learn more about Cybersecurity Programs at UCCS.