Posted on March 6, 2014 by Lety Laurel
The University of Texas at San Antonio’s cyber security program has been ranked the best in the nation, according to a national survey of certified information technology security professionals. The UTSA Cyber Security ranking was confirmed by the Ponemon Institute.
Cyber security with lock and binary code
The Ponemon Institute conducted the survey for Hewlett-Packard.
“This number one ranking confirms our reputation as the leading institution for education and research in cyber security,” said Yoris Au, chairman of the
Department of Information Systems and Cyber Security in the UTSA College of Business.“It also recognizes the hard work our faculty and students have put into the program since its inception more than a decade ago in the College of Business.”
UTSA is a recognized leader in the field of infrastructure assurance and security by the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security. The university is one of 58 U.S. institutions that holds the Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Research designation. UTSA is also a designated Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education.
Security is one of UTSA’s five core research strengths. The university offers top-tier academic programs in security through its College of Business, College of Engineering and College of Sciences to meet the public and private sectors' need for new and highly-qualified cyber security professionals.
Within the College of Business more than 150 students major in cyber security at the undergraduate, master’s and doctoral levels. Students learn how to protect data, gather and examine digital evidence, perform security risk assessments and study computer and network forensics procedures.
The college’s Center for Education and Research in Information and Infrastructure Security conducts high-impact research in information assurance and security and fosters student involvement in research activities. UTSA is also home to the Institute for Cyber Security and the Center for Infrastructure Assurance and Security.
“Several years ago UTSA made a strategic decision to invest in the area of cyber security and hire experts in the field from around the nation to conduct research and teach our students,” said Mauli Agrawal, UTSA interim vice president for research. “The latest ranking and recognition are yet another validation of the success of this approach.”
Hewlett-Packard’s ranking was derived from a survey that asked 2,000 certified IT professionals to rank the top five strongest colleges and universities in security from a list of 403 educational institutions. Respondents rated each school’s program according to their perceptions of the school’s academic rigor, faculty quality, professional reputation and other qualifications.
— Lety Laurel
