KU Strengthens Its Position as a National Leader in Cybersecurity
The University of Kansas continues to distinguish itself as a national powerhouse in cybersecurity education, research, and student achievement. As the state’s premier institution in this rapidly evolving field, KU is driving the innovation necessary to secure the nation’s digital infrastructure.
Jayhackers Earn Top Honors in National and International Competitions
KU’s premier cybersecurity student organization, the Jayhackers, has once again demonstrated world-class technical skill. In the 10th annual Best Cyber Warrior Competition hosted by U.S. Army Central, the team outpaced military, government, and partner-nation teams from around the globe. KU secured 1st place among universities and 9th place overall—an extraordinary feat for a team composed entirely of EECS undergraduates. Notably, three of the five team members—Ben Schulte, Jack Ford, and Jamie King—are scholars in the prestigious Federal Scholarship for Service (SFS) program.
The Jayhackers maintained this momentum by earning 2nd place in the 2025 Rocky Mountain Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (RMCCDC), advancing to the national CCDC Wildcard Round. Led by team captain and SFS scholar Jamie King, alongside fellow SFS student Jacob Leahy, these victories underscore the rigor of KU’s hands-on training and the exceptional caliber of its student body.
KU Reaffirmed as a National Leader in Cyber Research, Education
The National Security Agency (NSA) recently redesignated KU’s Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science and the Institute for Information Sciences (I2S) as a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Research (CAE-R). KU continues to stand as the only institution in Kansas to hold both the CAE-R and CAE-CD (Cyber Defense) designations, a "gold standard" recognition that extends through 2030.
This redesignation validates KU’s commitment to meeting rigorous national standards in curriculum, high-impact research, and workforce development.
A Growing Hub for Cybersecurity Innovation
As KU’s interdisciplinary engine for security research, I2S leads projects in trustworthy AI, high-assurance systems, cyber-physical systems (CPS), and network security. This research is supported by a robust network of federal partners, including the NSA, AFRL, Department of Energy, and NASA. Furthermore, KU remains a designated Science of Security Lablet, one of a select few institutions conducting foundational research for the NSA’s Research Directorate.
Empowering the Next Generation of Professionals
KU offers the region’s most comprehensive cybersecurity portfolio, headlined by the B.S. in Cybersecurity Engineering. With an academic pipeline that includes multiple computing degrees, undergraduate certificates, and five graduate programs, KU is directly addressing the national cybersecurity workforce shortage.
Graduates of the program emerge with the technical proficiency and collaborative leadership skills required to defend the most critical systems of tomorrow.