National Cyber Security Alliance Working with U.S. Department of Education, NIST, and National Cybersecurity Education Council to Promote Formal Cyber Security Education Programs

The National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) recently announced that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Department of Education and the National Institute of Standards and Technology to formally institute and promote cyber security education programs in K-12 schools, higher education, and career and technical education environments nationwide.

This agreement paves the way for the continuation of the recently established public private partnership known as the National Cybersecurity Education Council to build a consensus on the future of cyber education in the United States. The multi-stakeholder effort is designed to bring together government, industry, nonprofit, academia, and other educational organizations to make recommendations and suggest guidelines on cyber education.  The collaboration is striving to include all parties participating in a working group to identify the cyber education needs of all young people and the foundational knowledge, skills, and competencies needed by government and industry to build a workforce that can protect America's digital assets.

Background information:

National Cyber Security Alliance

NIST: National Initiative Cybersecurity Education

NCSA: The 2011 State of K-12 Cyberethics, Cybersafety and Cybersecurity Curriculum in the United States

The White House: Cyberspace Policy Review: Assuring a Trusted and Resilient Information and Communications Infrastructure (2009)

Education World: eGuide Helps Educators, Parents Address Online Risks With Kids