UWF Center for Cybersecurity awarded EC-Council 2025 Academia Innovator of the Year

The University of West Florida Center for Cybersecurity has been awarded the 2025 Academia Innovator of the Year Award by EC-Council. UWF is the sole recipient of this honor in North America, recognizing the University's leadership and innovation in cybersecurity education.

"This award affirms UWF's position as a leader in cybersecurity education and training," said UWF Interim President Manny Diaz Jr. "Our Center for Cybersecurity continues to set the standard for excellence, and I am grateful to our team for their dedication to strengthening Florida's Cyber Coast."

EC-Council is the world's largest cybersecurity technical certification body. Operating in 145 countries and having certified over 400,000 information security professionals, its certifications are recognized worldwide and have received endorsements from numerous government agencies, including the National Security Agency and the Committee on National Security Systems.

The University was selected based on several key criteria, including:

• Excellence in cybersecurity education
• Continuous program development and innovation
• Student, alumni and community engagement and advocacy
• EC-Council certification exam testing and results
• Experiential learning and extracurricular engagement
• EC-Council event participation and involvement

"We are honored to receive this recognition from EC-Council, which reflects our leadership in shaping the future of cybersecurity and AI education," said Dr. Eman El-Sheikh, associate vice president of the UWF Center for Cybersecurity. "We are committed to developing cutting-edge programs that meet emerging workforce needs and prepare the next generation of AI-enabled cybersecurity professionals."

With thousands of EC-Council partners globally, this award represents a significant achievement for UWF, underscoring the University's dedication to advancing cybersecurity education and preparing the next generation of professionals.

"On behalf of EC-Council, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the University of West Florida for being named the 2025 Academia Innovator of the Year," said Jay Bavisi, president and group CEO of EC-Council. "This award reflects UWF's unwavering commitment to advancing cybersecurity education and seamlessly integrating Artificial Intelligence as a core component of their programs and initiatives through EC-Council. Their leadership in combining cybersecurity and AI-driven solutions continues to inspire academic communities. We are proud to have UWF as a valued EC-Council Academia Partner. Together, we are shaping a safer, smarter, AI-Powered digital future."

For more information about the UWF Center for Cybersecurity, visit uwf.edu/cyber.