University of Phoenix recognized with 2022 Academia Circle of Excellence Award by EC-Council, world’s largest cybersecurity certification body

University is recipient for fourth consecutive year of award that highlights academic institutions and faculty with lasting impact on students’ cybersecurity education and communities

University of Phoenix is a recipient of the EC-Council 2022 Academia Circle of Excellence Award for the fourth consecutive year. The EC-Council Academia division awards formally highlight academic institutions and faculty within North America and across the world that excel each year with lasting impacts on their students' cybersecurity education and local communities.

As cybercrime becomes more sophisticated, cybersecurity skills and education are increasingly critical and remain in-demand in the job market, with about 770,000 open positions listed during the 12-month period ending in December 2022 in the U.S. alone. The University of Phoenix College of Business and Information Technology builds degree programs and certificates which make critical connections and build student understanding of the ways technology and business evolve together, particularly in the arena of cybersecurity. The College of Business and Information Technology offers programs aligned to industry-leading EC-Council certification exams as well as EC-Council aligned courses which can be taken individually to focus on specific skills.

“Our working adult learners in the cybersecurity field need to constantly adapt and evolve their skills, and our curriculum and courses are designed to do just that,” states Kathryn Uhles, dean, College of Business and Information Technology at the University. “This award affirms the work that we are doing to create a lasting impact on our students and their communities.”

The University works with labor market researchers including Lightcast, and expert faculty in their fields, to identify, tag, and map employer sought-after skills in curriculum. Currently, more than 90% of programs within the College of Business and Information Technology are now skills mapped.

“University of Phoenix has continued to prepare workforce ready professionals with tactical Cybersecurity skills required to succeed in today’s emerging industry,” said Wesley Alvarez, Director of Academics at EC-Council. “We are pleased to honor them for the fourth consecutive year with the Circle of Excellence award, representing elite Cybersecurity programs dedicated to student success.”

University of Phoenix established an alliance with EC-Council six years ago in order to help expand opportunities for working adult students. The award recognizes the University’s commitment to making a positive impact in the cybersecurity workforce. The 2022 Academia Circle of Excellence Award is a high honor within the EC-Council and cybersecurity communities and is a prestigious award; EC-Council has over 1,000 academic partners from K-12, Technical Institutes, Colleges and Universities in North America, each with many faculty and Certified EC-Council Instructors (CEIs).

EC-Council organizes annual partner awards to highlight the highest levels of Cybersecurity education, training, executive leadership, and instruction within global communities. This consists of partnered academic institutions, commercial training centers, corporate organizations, CISO's, CEIs, and academic faculty. The Academia Circle of Excellence award recipients are selected based on criteria including the following: 

• Commitment to educate and make a difference in the Cybersecurity workforce
• Student feedback on EC-Council courses and faculty
• Evaluation reports post class
• Student and Alumni Engagement
• Ratio of students who move on to attempt EC-Council certifications
• Volume of students educated in Cybersecurity
• Continuous program development.

In addition to providing educational preparation for EC-Council certifications, the University’s College of Business and Information Technology offers students access to faculty that possess an average of 32 years of professional experience. Current faculty includes 213 presidents, 56 chief executive officers, eleven chief information or chief technology officers, three chief information security officers, and 81 information technology/system administrators.

Learn more here about University of Phoenix College of Business and Information Technology cybersecurity programs.

About EC-Council

EC-Council’s sole purpose is to build and refine the cybersecurity profession globally. The company helps organizations, educators, and governments, as well as individuals, to address global workforce problems by developing and curating world-class cybersecurity education programs and certifications while also providing cybersecurity services to some of the largest businesses around the world. Trusted by seven of the Fortune 10, 47 of the Fortune 100, the Department of Defense, the global intelligence community, NATO, and more than 2,000 of the best universities, colleges, and training companies, EC-Council programs have made their way to 140 countries and have set the bar in cybersecurity education. Learn more at www.eccouncil.org.

About University of Phoenix

University of Phoenix is continually innovating to help working adults enhance their careers in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, relevant courses, interactive learning, and Career Services for Life® help students more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives. For more information, visit phoenix.edu.