The University of West Florida and the Jikei College Group in Japan announced a partnership that aims to enhance global cybersecurity workforce development.

The agreement promotes educational collaboration in cybersecurity that will benefit students and strengthen workforce development in the  cybersecurity industry. The partnership includes cooperative education through the exchange of information on curricular and instructional materials, collaboration with the Center for Cybersecurity on industry events and training, and additional study abroad and faculty exchange programs.

“As UWF looks beyond our successful cyber coast and thinks globally, a partnership with Jikei College Group makes sense for addressing the critical shortage of cybersecurity professionals we’re seeing on an international scale,” said UWF President Martha D. Saunders. “The UWF Center for Cybersecurity and Jikei College Group can leverage our unique educational strengths and secure the future on both sides of the globe.”

The partnership agreement joins a number of established UWF Center for Cybersecurity initiatives that position the University as an international cyber hub. Existing resources include Cybersecurity for All and Florida Cyber Range, which equip organizations with cybersecurity education and training through a state-of-the-art platform. In addition, UWF serves as the Centers of Academic Excellence Regional Resource Center for the Southeast as designated by the National Security Agency and U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The Jikei Group of Colleges is a system of professional training colleges and support companies located throughout Japan.