Center of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (CAE-C) Designations:

The Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) designation indicates that the institution is helping reduce threats to our national infrastructure by promoting higher education and research in cyber defense as well as provide the nation with a pipeline of qualified cybersecurity professionals. All regionally accredited two-year, four-year, and graduate-level institutions in the United States are eligible to apply to become a CAE-CD designated institution. To maintain the CAE-CD designation, an institution or program must apply to be re-evaluated every five academic years.

The Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Research (CAE-R) designation indicates that the institution increases the understanding of robust cyber defense technology, policy, and practices that will enable our Nation to prevent and respond to a catastrophic event. Eligible institutions must be a DoD school, a Ph.D. producing military academy, or a regionally accredited Ph.D. degree-granting college or university. Institutions must identify as a Doctoral University – Highest Research Activity (R1), Doctoral University – Higher Research Activity (R2), or Doctoral University – Moderate Research Activity (R3) as determined by the Carnegie Foundation Basic Classification system (and/or other independent body to measure CD) or provide a written justification as to significant CD research. An institution or program must apply for re-designation every five academic years.

The Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Operations (CAE-CO) program is in support of the President's National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE): Building a Digital Nation. It furthers the goal to broaden the pool of skilled workers capable of supporting a cyber-secure nation. The CAE-CO program is a deeply technical, inter-disciplinary, higher education program with a particular emphasis on technologies and techniques related to specialized cyber operations (e.g., collection, exploitation, and response), critical to intelligence, military, and law enforcement organizations authorized to perform these specialized operations. CAE-CO programs are within a degree path like computer science, electrical engineering or computer engineering department, or a degree program of equivalent technical depth, or a collaboration between two or more of these departments.

Source: https://public.cyber.mil/ncae-c/