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By Kelsey Kendall 

�Թϱ���’s School of Cybersecurity is setting a new national benchmark in cybersecurity education in becoming the first institution to receive dual validation for its pioneering cyber and artificial intelligence programs from the National Security Agency (NSA). This groundbreaking achievement advances the University’s leadership in preparing students for the rapidly evolving technological landscape where artificial intelligence intersects with cyber defense.

This is the first year of NSA’s CyberAI Program of Study validations, and �Թϱ��� is the first institution in the nation to receive both the AICyber and SecureAIrecognitions. 

“Innovation is woven into the very fabric of �Թϱ���, and this national recognition — to once again be ‘the first’ — is further testament to the quality of our faculty and our commitment to prepare students to meet the needs of the cybersecurity industry and our country in profound and lasting both now and well into the future,” said �Թϱ��� President Brian O. Hemphill, Ph.D. 

The University’s received validation for NSA’s AI for Cybersecurity recognition, or AICyber. The University’s received validation for the Security of AI program, or SecureAI. The programs are validatedthrough 2030. 

“These validations are a great testament to the excellent programs we offer and show how we are leading the nation in preparing our students with knowledge and skills to be successful in the age of AI as it is rapidly being integrated into every aspect of the industry,” said Daniel Takabi, director of the School of Cybersecurity and Batten Endowed Chair in Cybersecurity.

“�Թϱ���’s School of Cybersecurity fosters forward thinking and interdisciplinary collaboration, preparing our students to meet the needs of a constantly evolving digital landscape,” said Brian Payne, Ph.D., provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. “This endorsement highlights our commitment to cultivating the next generation of cybersecurity professionals, who are essential in safeguarding the nation’s technological infrastructure.” 

The School of Cybersecurity’s commitment to training the next generation of cybersecurity professionals is already well established. The University is one of 10 higher education institutions in the nation and the only one in the Commonwealth of Virginia to have earned all three of NSA’s Centers of Academic Excellence (CAE) designations, which include CAE Cyber Defense, CAE Cyber Operations and Cyber Research. 

This NSA recognition comes as the University celebrates 10 years of cybersecurity education, having launched its first program in 2015 with 11 students working toward an interdisciplinary major in cybersecurity. The �Թϱ��� School of Cybersecurity was officially established in 2020 and has since grown to enroll approximately 1,700 students this fall and graduate more than 1,500 alumni. 

Offering the fastest growing academic programs at �Թϱ���, the School of Cybersecurity has expanded from a single interdisciplinary major to nearly a dozen undergraduate and graduate programs that have adapted to prepare students to be leaders within an evolving national cybersecurity workforce, including accelerated pathways for masters-seeking students and certificates. The University has developed partnerships and connections with national agencies and companies, including local military bases, NSAand Amazon, to create internship, research and certification opportunities for students. This commitment to innovation ensures that students graduating from the �Թϱ��� School of Cybersecurity are equipped to lead this innovative industry.