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About the Center for Cybersecurity and AI Application, Research, and Education (CAARE)
The Center for Cybersecurity and AI Application, Research, and Education (CAARE) is focused on cybersecurity and AI application, research, and education including the intersection of cybersecurity and AI.
On August 19, 2021, the National Security Agency (NSA) and its affiliated federal agencies redesignated NSU for the fourth time as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE-C) - Cyber Defense (CD) through the 2028 academic year. Additionally, on November 1, 2023, NSU was also designated as NCAE-C - Cyber Research (R) through the academic year 2028, among the few institutions around the nation to obtain both CAE-CD and CAE-R designations. Additionally, on September 8, 2025, NSU's College of Computing, AI, and Cybersecurity's M.S. in Artificial Intelligence Cybersecurity program was the first in the nation to be validated by the NSA under the criteria of the Artificial Intelligence in Cybersecurity (AICyber) Program of Study (PoS) Validation through the academic year 2030. NSU first received the CAE-CD designation in March 2005, among the first in the State of Florida, and was re-designated in 2009, again in 2014, and most recently on August 19, 2021.
For nearly two decades, NSU has been serving as a national leader in cybersecurity education and has assisted the NSA and its affiliated federal agencies in establishing national standards for the NCAE-CD program criteria that are serving the nation well in contributing to the protection of the National Information Infrastructure. NSU was among the few invited institutions nationwide that participated in NSA's CAE-CD Pilot Program between 2019 and 2021, the CAE-R Pilot Program between 2022-2023, and the CyberAI PoS Validation Pilot Program in 2024-2025.
And a proud member of the:
Contact Us
Yair Levy, Ph.D.
Professor of IS and Cybersecurity
and Center Director
levyy@nova.edu
(954) 262-2006
Greg Simco, Ph.D.
Professor of CS, Associate Dean, and Center Co-Director
greg@nova.edu
(954) 262-2017
Vision Statement
To be a leader in cybersecurity and AI application, research, and education.
Mission Statement
Provide educational and research programs and resources to develop cybersecurity and AI leaders, innovators, and researchers.
Last updated: August 28, 2026
NSU Overview
Beginning in 1975 with the creation of a graduate computer science program, Nova Southeastern University (NSU) has been a pioneer in computing research and education. With its first general purpose computer, a VAX 11/780, the school began offering online programs in 1983 and created the first electronic classroom in 1985. The school continues today to have distinguished faculty and alumni who have made substantial contributions to research and industry.
Today, NSU is a not-for-profit, independent university that is classified as a research university with as an R1 research university by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, and is one of only 37 universities nationwide to also be awarded Carnegie’s Community Engagement Classification. We have approximately 22,000 students, 210,000 alumni, a sprawling, 314-acre Fort Lauderdale-Davie campus and a presence throughout Florida, the U.S. and nine countries around the world. Through five decades of explosive growth, our reputation for academic excellence and innovation continues to flourish.
NSU_eHACKERs Cybersecurity Student Club
