§2192c. Office for academic engagement relating to cyber activities

(a) Establishment.-The Secretary of Defense, acting through the Chief Information Officer of the Department of Defense, shall establish an office to establish, maintain, and oversee the activities of the Department of Defense that pertain to the relationship between the Department and academia, including with entities involved in primary, secondary, or postsecondary education, with respect to cyber-related matters (in this section referred to as the "Office").

(b) Director.-The Office shall have a Director who shall report directly to the Chief Information Officer of the Department of Defense. An individual serving as Director, while so serving, shall be a member of the Senior Executive Service.

(c) Responsibilities.-(1) The Office shall be responsible for the following:

(A) Serving as the consolidated focal point for engagements carried out between the Department of Defense and academia with respect to cyber-related matters.

(B) Coordinating covered academic engagement programs for the Department of Defense.

(C) Conducting ongoing analysis, as determined necessary by the Director, of the performance of cyber-related educational scholarships, camps, support efforts, and volunteer partnerships of the Department of Defense.

(D) Identifying actions the Secretary of Defense may take to improve the cyber skills of personnel within the Department of Defense through participation by such personnel in covered academic engagement programs, for the purposes of assisting the Secretary in cyber-related matters and meeting the long-term national defense needs of the United States for personnel proficient in such skills.

(E) Managing funds and resources for the National Centers for Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity program, the Department of Defense Cyber Scholarship Program, the National Defense University College of Information and Cyberspace, the University Consortium for Cybersecurity, the senior military colleges, and other educational partnerships between academic institutions and active components of the Armed Forces.

(F) Establishing requirements, policies, and procedures to collect data on, and to monitor and evaluate, the performance of covered academic engagement programs with respect to the involvement in such programs by the Department of Defense.

(G) Monitoring and evaluating through applicable performance measurements (including those established pursuant to subparagraph (F)) the performance of covered academic engagement programs with respect to the involvement in such programs by the Department of Defense, and advising the Secretary of Defense on whether to continue, modify, or terminate such involvement.

(H) Conducting budgetary oversight and supervision, taking into consideration the findings of performance evaluations under subparagraph (G), with respect to-

(i) the involvement in covered academic engagement programs by the Department of Defense; and

(ii) other matters relating to the responsibilities under this subsection.

(2) The Office shall be the office of primary responsibility for carrying out the following:

(A) Section 2200c of title 10, United States Code.

(B) Section 1640 of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (Public Law 115–232; 10 U.S.C. 2200 note).

(C) Section 1649 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (Public Law 116–92; 133 Stat. 1758).

(D) The duties of the Secretary of Defense under section 1659 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (Public Law 116–92; 10 U.S.C. 391 note).

(E) The duties of the Chief Information Officer of the Department of Defense under section 1726 of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 116–283; 10 U.S.C. 1599f note).

(F) Section 1532 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (Public Law 117–81; 10 U.S.C. 2191 note prec.).

(G) Section 1535 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 117–263; 10 U.S.C. 2200 note).

(H) Such other provisions of law as the Secretary of Defense may determine relevant.

(d) Authority Relating to Compliance.-The Secretary of Defense shall take such steps as may be necessary to ensure that the Director of the Office has sufficient authority to compel and enforce compliance with any decisions or directives issued pursuant to the responsibilities under subsection (c).

(e) Additional Authorities.-In carrying out this section, the Director of the Office may, under any provision of this chapter or any other provision of this title providing for the support of educational programs in cyber-related matters (and unless otherwise specified in such provision)-

(1) enter into contracts and cooperative agreements, including for the purpose of supporting academic and hands-on programs for individuals transitioning into the cyber field of the Department;

(2) make grants of financial assistance, including to civilian and military students;

(3) provide cash awards and other items;

(4) accept voluntary services; and

(5) support national competition judging, other educational event activities, and associated award ceremonies in connection with covered academic engagement programs.

(f) Relationship to Other Entities.-The Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and the Secretaries concerned shall coordinate and collaborate with the Director of the Office on covered academic engagement programs sponsored by the Under Secretary as Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) programs and activities.

(g) Covered Academic Engagement Program Defined.-In this section, the term "covered academic engagement program" means any of the following:

(1) A primary, secondary, or post-secondary educational program with a cyber focus.

(2) A program of the Department of Defense for the recruitment or retention of cyberspace civilian and military personnel (including scholarship programs) other than a Reserve Officers' Training Corps program.

(3) An academic partnership focused on establishing cyber talent among the personnel referred to in paragraph (2).

(Added Pub. L. 118–31, div. A, title XV, §1531(a), Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 560 .)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Section 1649 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020, referred to in subsec. (c)(2)(C), is section 1649 of Pub. L. 116–92, div. A, title XVI, Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 1758 , which is not classified to the Code.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Collaborative Cybersecurity Educational Program

Pub. L. 119–60, div. A, title XV, §1514, Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 1151 , provided that:

"(a) Program Required.-The Secretary of Defense shall establish and carry out [a] program under which the Secretary shall seek to collaborate with academic institutions to develop cybersecurity educational programs at such institutions, including by establishing curriculum standards, developing competencies in cybersecurity at such institutions, promoting community outreach regarding participation in such educational programs, integrating best practices across such educational programs, and advancing solutions to challenges in addressing educational needs with respect to cyber.

"(b) Consultation Requirements.-In carrying out the program under subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall-

"(1) consult with the Director of the National Security Agency, the Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency of the Department of Homeland Security, the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Director of the National Science Foundation, to ensure that the cyber education programs and educational resource development efforts and programs of the Federal Government do not compete or conflict with each other;

"(2) consult with the heads of other appropriate Federal agencies and representatives of appropriate private sector entities, academic institutions, and other organizations as determined necessary by the Secretary; and

"(3) manage instructional and participatory opportunities available through the efforts, programs, initiatives, and investments accounted for in the report required under section 1649 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (Public Law 116–92; 133 Stat. 1758).

"(c) Designations.-

"(1) In general.-In carrying out the program under subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall designate academic institutions that meet the standards established under such program in one or more of cyber defense, cyber operations, and cyber research.

"(2) Criteria.-The Secretary of Defense shall make the designations under paragraph (1) based on the following:

"(A) Academic requirements and best practices identified by the Secretary of Defense in consultation with Departments and Agencies enabling the development of educational programs reflecting the full range of cyber work roles specified in the Defense Cyber Workforce Framework, the National Initiative on Cyber Education Workforce Framework for Cyber published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology in NIST Special Publication 800–181, Revision 5, or any successor framework.

"(B) Criteria and requirements for the academic institution emphasizing the following:

"(i) Outreach to the surrounding community of the academic institution.

"(ii) Leadership in contributing to the development of a national cyber workforce, including cultivating educational institution faculty and research leaders.

"(iii) Leadership in the development of educational and performance expectations for cyber professionals, including through curriculum and degree offerings to prepare future cyber professionals of all knowledge and skill levels.

"(iv) Demonstrated commitment to implementing cyber best practices within the academic institution across academic disciplines.

"(v) Demonstrated commitment to seeking solutions to challenges in addressing Federal, State, local, territorial, and Tribal-level needs.

"(vi) Regional accreditation from one of the six regional accrediting agencies recognized by the Department of Education providing external review to assure quality and ongoing improvement.

"(C) Increasing collaboration within the cyber education community to support development and sharing of educational materials and curriculum.

"(D) Increasing collaboration with private sector entities and government employers at the Federal, State, local, territorial, and Tribal levels to further define workforce requirements and assist in defining academic requirements to prepare students for the field of cyber.

"(d) Metrics and Report.-

"(1) Metrics.-The Secretary of Defense shall-

"(A) collaborate with the individuals described in subsection (b)(1) to identify metrics and annual data reporting requirements necessary to assess the degree to which the program established under subsection (a) is meeting the objectives of such program; and

"(B) ensure adequate data and best practices are made available to the individuals described in subsection (b)(1) to measure the efficacy of such program and the benefits provided by such program to individuals participating in such program and to the Department of Defense compared to costs of such program paid by academic institutions participating in such program and sponsors of such program.

"(2) Annual report.-Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 18, 2025], and annually thereafter, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to Congress a report on the benefits provided by the program established under subsection (a) to individuals participating in such program and to the Department compared to costs of such program paid by academic institutions participating in such program and sponsors of such program.

"(e) Rule of Construction.-Nothing in this section shall be construed to-

"(1) supersede the statutory responsibilities or authorities of any head of a [sic] departments or agencies of the Federal Government; or

"(2) authorize the appropriation of additional amounts for the program established under subsection (a).

"(f) Academic Institution Defined.-The term 'academic institution' means-

"(1) an institution of higher education (as defined in section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002)) in the United States that conducts research sponsored by the Department of Defense; or

"(2) a senior military college (as defined in section 2111a(f) of title 10, United States Code)."

Deadline for Establishment

Pub. L. 118–31, div. A, title XV, §1531(b), Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 562 , provided that: "The Secretary of Defense shall establish the office under section 2192c of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), by not later than 270 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 22, 2023]."