The Computer Science Department has been designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education. The National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) jointly sponsor the National Centers of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education (CAEIAE) Program. The goal of this program is to reduce vulnerability in our national information infrastructure by promoting higher education and research in IA and producing a growing number of professionals with IA expertise in various disciplines. Students attending these designated schools are eligible to apply for scholarships and grants through the Department of Defense Information Assurance Scholarship Program and the Federal Cyber Service Scholarship for Service Program.
The Center is a member of the Center for Systems Security and Information Assurance (CSSIA) project which established the first comprehensive Information Technology Security and Data Assurance Center in the Midwest. This center collects, categorizes, adapts, enhances, standardizes and evaluates curriculum and offers training programs to community college and university faculty, secondary school faculty and students across the region.
The Center of Systems Security and Information Assurance is dedicated to promoting research and education in information security, assurance, and privacy. The Center was established by the UIS Campus Senate, Resolution 37-13. The mission of the Center is to:
- Facilitate faculty members efforts to obtain and administer grants and contracts in systems security and information assurance
- Provide funding and support for faculty development, research, and scholarship in the field systems security and information assurance
- Provide funding opportunities to support course and curriculum development and laboratory improvements
- Adapt security and information assurance materials from academic program for discrimination to the public and private sectors
- Provide an outreach program to increase awareness of partnership opportunities between UIS and the pubic and private sector
- Develop and implement a comprehensive outreach and support program to increase the number of students from underrepresented groups in security and information assurance
- Provide funding and support for hosting local and regional public affairs events related to security and information assurance