Purdue University Northwest’s College of Technology earned a 2024 Academia Circle of Excellence Award from the International Council of Electronic Commerce Consults (EC-Council) in recognition of high-quality teaching that prepares and qualifies students and professionals to enter the cybersecurity workforce.

PNW’s College of Technology has partnered with the EC-Council since 2019 by incorporating two of the council’s accredited certifications, Certified Ethical Hacker and Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator, into program curricula. Working professionals, including military members, law enforcement and other first responders, have benefitted from PNW’s Cybersecurity Workforce Certification Training by earning both certifications. The certifications qualify students and professionals to understand proactive network protection and digital forensics analysis techniques. PNW Computer Information Technology and Cybersecurity undergraduate students are also eligible to earn the certificates through their degree paths.

Students and program participants are led by Michael Tu, director of PNW’s Center for Cybersecurity and professor of Computer Information Technology, and Chuck DeCastro, lecturer of Computer Information Technology, in preparing to take the certification exams.

“PNW is very proud to receive the 2024 Academia Circle of Excellence Award, which is the second time PNW has received the same award in the last two years,” said DeCastro. “Being recognized by EC-Council demonstrates our excellence in cybersecurity education thanks to our dedicated, hardworking faculty. Our partnership with EC-Council in cybersecurity education helps the gap of workforce shortage and enhances the learning experience and credentials of our students.”

EC-Council awards up to five Academic Circle of Excellence awards each year in the North America region. The award recognizes an institutional partner that showcases the highest levels of cybersecurity education, training and leadership as evidenced by alumni success and engagement and continuous program development.

EC-Council is a member-based organization that certifies individuals in various e-commerce and information security skills. EC-Council’s certification programs are recognized and endorsed worldwide as valuable qualifications for cybersecurity global communities. EC-Council’s Academia partner program works with academic institutions to establish cybersecurity ecosystems and offer students opportunities to obtain stackable credentials to become more competitive as they enter the workforce.

PNW is designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education jointly by the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), a division in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The designation represents the highest standard of university cybersecurity programs and is awarded to regionally accredited academic institutions offering cybersecurity-related degrees or certificates that meet established comprehensive and rigorous criteria. PNW has earned the designation since 2014.

PNW’s Center for Cybersecurity provides students with state-of-the-art, hands-on learning opportunities. Dedicated to advancing the security of the nation’s critical cyber infrastructures through research, education and outreach, the center’s mission is to improve security and resiliency in cyber systems, develop strategies to mitigate cybersecurity incidents and promote high-quality education for future workforce training.