Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google


IBM to Co-Create Cybersecurity Leadership Centers at 20 HBCUs

IBM is working with 20 historically Black colleges and universities across the country to help establish Cybersecurity Leadership Centers that will provide students and faculty with training and certification resources at no cost. The project expands on six HBCU partnerships the company announced in May, as part of its pledge to train 150,000 people in cybersecurity over the next three years.

Faculty and students at participating schools will have free access to cybersecurity coursework, lectures, immersive training experiences, certifications, IBM Cloud-hosted software, and professional development, the company explained in a news announcement. Among the resources and services available:

  • IBM will develop a customized IBM Security Learning Academy portal for each participating HBCU, offering courses to complement their existing cybersecurity education portfolio.
  • IBM will continue to provide access to IBM SkillsBuild, a free digital platform that provides learning, support and resources for individuals seeking entry-level employment.
  • Faculty and students can experience an immersive, simulated cyberattack through IBM Security Command Center, to help train them on preparation and response techniques.
  • Faculty will receive consultation sessions with IBM technical personnel on cybersecurity.
  • Participants will have access to multiple IBM Security enterprise security products hosted in the IBM Cloud.
  • Professional development forums will allow participants to share best practices, learn from IBM experts, and discover IBM internships and job openings.

Participating HBCUs include: Alabama A&M University, Talladega College, Tuskegee University, Edward Waters University, Florida A&M University, Albany State University, Clark Atlanta University, Grambling State University, Southern University System, Xavier University of Louisiana, Bowie State University, Morgan State University, Alcorn State University, North Carolina A&T State University, North Carolina Central University, South Carolina State University, Voorhees University, Texas Southern University, Norfolk State University, and West Virginia State University.

About the Author

Rhea Kelly is editor in chief for Campus Technology, THE Journal, and Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • CIS Sandbox Tutor Eli Blouin at Bentley University imagines a future technology learning partner that supports curiosity, critical thinking, feedback, and personalized learning.

    Student Voices: Technology as a Future Learning Partner

    A data analytics and marketing major at Bentley University and a distinguished lecturer at the university explore the future of "technology learning partners" — technologies that participate in the learning process by asking questions and giving feedback, not just information search results.

  • lock symbol with quantum bits in dynamic motion

    Microsoft Accelerates Focus on Quantum-Safe Security

    Microsoft is speeding up its quantum-safe security timeline, saying advances in quantum computing and new federal requirements have pushed post-quantum cryptography from a future planning issue into an immediate engineering priority.

  • interconnected nodes with currency symbols

    Gartner: Half of Gen AI Projects Could Exceed Budget by 2028

    Organizations may be underestimating the actual cost of generative AI as they move from experimentation to production, according to Gartner's "10 Best Practices for Optimizing Generative and Agentic AI Costs" report.

  • robot hand holding stacks of coins

    Designing AI Systems for Financial Aid

    Financial aid offices have been slow to adopt AI, risking technological stagnation at a critical early student touchpoint. Systematic AI integration can improve student experiences and strengthen institutional positioning.