Coastline College Leads New National Center To Track Cybersecurity Education’s Impact

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, CA — Coastline College and six university partners have launched a national project to measure the real-world impact of cybersecurity education, the college told Patch.

Called the Economic Assessment National Center, the two-year effort will collect and share data on the results of cybersecurity programs — from graduates and certifications to jobs and regional economic benefits. The work is supported by about $1.5 million through the National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity program within the National Security Agency.

Coastline will serve as the national lead and coordinate six regional hubs so schools can share data and ideas across the country. Partner institutions include the University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Metropolitan State University, the University at Albany (SUNY), Kean University, George Mason University and the University of West Florida.

Project leaders said the goal is easy to understand: help colleges and communities see how classroom training turns into a stronger cybersecurity workforce and supports national priorities. The center plans to reduce extra reporting by using information schools already collect and to publish dashboards that show progress over time.

Organizers said the hubs will hold regular meetings, connect local colleges in the National Centers of Academic Excellence community, and celebrate schools that earn or renew their designations. They added that the center is designed to complement existing national initiatives by focusing on clear, consistent ways to show results.