About 

UC2 The Department of Defense University Consortium for Cybersecurity solicits innovations from academia to support Department of Defense (DoD) priorities through a series of activities across the year that will increase communication, collaboration, and access for research. We believe scientific innovation must be integrated with workforce development through education. This approach equally ensures that we are ready and learning, set to benefit immediately from new advances across disciplines, and better prepared for change on the horizon. We are committed to stewarding work on ethical research implications between DoD stakeholders and academic institutions to inform and enable innovation. Our work aligns with the National Cybersecurity Strategy Pillar Four, the DoD Responsible Artificial Intelligence Strategy and Implementation Pathway, and consistently promotes the goals of equity and inclusion for research and education expressed in the White House STEMM initiative. 

Organization and History

In 2020, Congress authorized the formation of UC2, the University Consortium for Cybersecurity, to help the Department of Defense gain access to talented academic researchers with promising technological innovations. UC2 provides the Secretary of Defense a formal channel of communication with academic institutions regarding the DoD’s cybersecurity strategic plans, requirements, and priorities for research. UC2 facilitates access for academic institutions to respond with their ideas to DoD stakeholders, promoting collaboration, and research through partnership. 

Located in the College of Information and Cyberspace at National Defense University, UC2 is at the center of senior military, government, and international leaders in Joint Professional Military Education. The students, faculty, and researchers shape future decisions about research, policy, and strategy which depend on staying at the cutting edge. UC2 is the access point for DoD stakeholders to communicate priorities and engage with academia.  

How We Work

UC2 is overseen by an executive committee with the College of Information and Cyberspace as the Chair. Using our Research Through Partnership approach, UC2 creates opportunities for communication, collaboration, and access between members of academic institutions and the Department of Defense. These experiences build partnerships that improve research because they demonstrate that knowledge transfer matters to the success of innovation as much as the science. We view these partnerships through the lens of cyber workforce development, as they create a common language for the classroom and the workplace to communicate complex problems and new ideas. The UC2 approach explores how this dynamic works, why it works, and how we can strengthen it through funded research and active collaboration.