The National Centers of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education (CAEIAE) Program is an outreach program designed and operated initially by the National Security Agency (NSA) in the spirit of Presidential Decision Directive 63, National Policy on Critical Infrastructure Protection, May 1998. The program is now jointly sponsored by the NSA and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in support of the President's National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace, February 2003. The goal of the program is to reduce vulnerability in our national information infrastructure by promoting higher education in information assurance (IA), and producing a growing number of professionals with IA expertise in various disciplines.

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Under this program, 4-year colleges and graduate-level universities are eligible to apply to be designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in IA Education. Each applicant must pass a rigorous review demonstrating its commitment to academic excellence in IA education. During the application process applicants are evaluated against stringent criteria. Designation as a CAEIAE is valid for three academic years, after which the school must successfully reapply in order to retain its CAEIAE designation.

CAEIAEs receive formal recognition from the U.S. government, as well as opportunities for prestige and publicity, for their role in securing our nation's information systems. Students attending CAEIAE 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 (SFS). Designation as a Center does not carry a commitment for funding from the NSA or the DHS.

CAEIAE Institutions are located throughout the country-many within driving distance of major DoD installations, federal research centers, and other federal agencies. These schools serve as regional centers of IA expertise and have begun to provide more programs aimed at retooling and retaining current federal and state information technology personnel.

In conjunction with the CAEIAE Program, the Information Assurance Directorate is a sponsor of the Colloquium for Information Systems Security Education (CISSE) and the Senior Executive Academic Liaison (SEAL). The addition of these programs helps to promote and increase the availability of information assurance education across the nation while benefiting both NSA and the partnering universities.