Oakland University has been officially designated a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Research (NCAE-R) by the National Security Agency.
The designation is awarded to Department of Defense schools, Ph.D.-producing military academies and regionally accredited, degree-granting four-year institutions that meet specific research activity standards as determined by the Carnegie Foundation Basic Classification system.
In addition to research classification, the NCAE-R designation includes criteria related to institutional commitment, academic programs, faculty expertise, cybersecurity-related research, as well as supporting and graduating doctoral students in cybersecurity programs.
The designation further establishes OU as a national leader in the growing field of cybersecurity, said Distinguished Professor Huirong Fu, founding director of the OU Center for Cybersecurity and coordinator of OU’s master’s program in cybersecurity.
“This milestone would not have been possible without the unwavering support of faculty, staff and leaders throughout the university,” said Fu. “Their dedication, collaboration and expertise will strengthen our research ecosystem, opening new paths of opportunity for faculty and student researchers. We look forward to continuing this trajectory of excellence and further elevating OU’s national leadership in cybersecurity and AI research.”
Fu noted that OU is one of only about 50 institutions to be designated a National Center of Academic Excellence in the areas of cyber defense and research. With these designations, OU faculty are eligible to apply for competitive grants from the Department of Defense, Department of Energy and National Science Foundation, Fu said. She added that the grants will create opportunities for students to work with faculty on a wide range of cutting-edge research projects.
“Cybersecurity is deeply integrated into today’s society,” Fu said. “From autonomous and connected vehicles, to health care, to business to personal computing, the need to protect data has never been more important. Research plays a vital role in driving the innovations that help maintain a safe digital environment for everyone.”
The NCAE-R designation runs through 2030. Find more information at nsa.gov/Academics/Centers-of-Academic-Excellence.
October 30, 2025
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