Welcome to PUPR - Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico

MISSION STATEMENT

Center for Information Assurance for Research and Education (CIARE) Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico

“The Center of Information Assurance for Research and Education (CIARE) of Puerto Rico in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Computer Science has the mission of promoting research, undergraduate and graduate education, and public outreach to benefit the Information Assurance academic community and public in general, serving as a forum for students, faculty, and IA professionals from different sectors of the economy. CIARE will help to produce more professionals with IA expertise in various disciplines to secure and protect local and national information resources and cyberspace infrastructures.”
In particular, the goals of CIARE are:

“To reduce the vulnerability of our national information infrastructure by promoting higher education in information assurance (IA) with the development of graduate and undergraduate education programs for professionals in information assurance and security.”
“To provide a forum that can be used by professors, professionals, industries and students to collaborate in the identification and solution of issues on IA and cyber security.”
“To be a vehicle for information assurance training, research, invention, innovation, education, public awareness, entrepreneurship, economic development, and dissemination of best practices, among others.”
“To maintain collaboration programs with top universities nationwide and strengthen the existing and new industries and the overall economic development in the state of Puerto Rico by developing joint research projects between industry and academia in computer security, and encouraging the practice of emerging security standards within minority institutions.”

Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico (PUPR) notifies the intent of applying for designation as a Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education (CAE/IAE).

There is a great demand for professionals that can bring solutions through collaboration, public awareness and the introduction of new methods of Information Assurance (IA) and cyber security. Information Assurance is an area that presents great challenges requiring solutions that can only be obtained by means of research and innovation, which leads to the introduction of new products and services.

The Center of Information Assurance for Research and Education in Puerto Rico (CIARE) provides a forum that can be used by faculty, students, and professionals from the public and private sectors. The Center is a vehicle for: training, research, invention, innovation, education, public awareness, entrepreneurship, economic development, and dissemination of best practices. The Center emphasizes on the participation of underrepresented groups. We plan to develop joint research projects in computer security, data integrity, and encourage the practice of emerging security standards with minority institutions.

As of 2008 a total of 94 colleges and universities were designated and re-designated across the US and the District of Columbia and have been granted the special distinction from the National Security Agency (NSA) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as a CAE/IAE. Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico (PUPR) is interested in receiving this designation, and strengthening the curriculum for the Information Technology Management and Information Assurance (ITMIA) specialization in our Master in Computer Science (MS CS) program, giving graduate students the opportunity to specialize and obtain a certification in such a demanding area of great concern, as is Information Assurance and Security. With this designation the Institution can obtain the necessary infrastructure to provide an exceptional educational experience in Information Assurance and be recognized as the first institution in Puerto Rico to be designated as a CAE/IAE. PUPR would be one of the first 100 institutions to obtain this designation. With this designation as a CAE/IAE PUPR can obtain scholarships that can help outstanding students to pursue graduate studies in IA, enabling them to work with the Federal Government or other federal institutions and agencies. The Institution would be able to apply for Scholarships for Service (SFS) awards from the NSF; funds for faculty and student research; and many other benefits that are available for designated centers nationwide.

Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico is the First Academic Institution in the Caribbean to be Certified by the Committee on National Security Systems (CNSS)

On November 5, 2008 the Information Assurance Courseware Evaluation (IACE) Program evaluated the Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico (PUPR) certification application and validated that Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico courseware as meeting all of the elements of the Committee on National Security Systems (CNSS) National Training Standards for:

Information Systems Security (INFOSEC) Professionals, NSTISSI No. 4011
System Administrators (SA), CNSSI No. 4013 Entry Level

The PUPR will receive recognition and an official certificate during the June 2009 CNSS Awards Ceremony, which will be held at the 13th Colloquium for Information Systems Security Education (CISSE). This certificate, signed by the CNSS Chair, will be valid through June 2014. The IACE Program provides consistency in training and education for the information assurance skills that are critical to our nation.

As a result of CNSS certification:

PUPR will be added to NSA's list of referrals for students who seek training in the INFOSEC field.
Federal civilian and military personnel will be permitted to take our certified courses under government sponsorship.
PUPR will receive recognition and a certificate during the next CNSS Annual Conference (certificates will be presented by the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Command, Control, Communications and Intelligence).
PUPR will be authorized to issue certificates to students who complete its certified courses.
PUPR will be permitted to use the CNSS logo on its certificates, literature, and advertising.

PUPR currently has a Master in Science in Computer Science with a specialization in Information Technology Management and Information Assurance in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering and Computer Science (ECECS). This program is the first and only of its kind in Puerto Rico. Graduate courses in IA include: Cryptography Protocol, Introduction to Information Security, Computer Security, CISSP Exam Prep, Network Security, Information Security Management, Database Security and Auditing, IT Auditing and Secure Operations, among others. PUPR also offers undergraduate courses on security such as: Computer Forensics, Ethical Hacking, Network Security, among others. We have offered more than 12 courses in the area of security at both undergraduate and graduate level.

CNSS certification is the first step toward recognition of PUPR by NSA as a "Center of Academic Excellence In Information Assurance Education" under NSA's Information Assurance Program. As a result of this certification, PUPR is looking forward to become the first Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education (CAE/IAE) in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean, designated by the National Security Agency (NSA) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS). PUPR is in a strategic position in the Caribbean where there is no designated institution close by. This is favorable for the designation as a CAE/IAE. The Institution also counts with excellent resources to support the initiatives of increasing National Defense, as our highly skilled faculty and students are mostly bilingual American citizens.