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The University of New Haven announced today it is launching the Connecticut Institute of Technology (Connecticut Tech) as part of a university-wide effort to bring together some of its most cutting-edge disciplines to create a technology hub that fosters interdisciplinary exploration and innovation.

"Our goal is to reinforce our standing as a destination university for technology education and research in the northeast," said President Steven H. Kaplan. "Groundbreaking efforts like this are critical to preparing our students for careers of the future that haven't yet been envisioned. We pride ourselves as a university on being forward-thinking and market-driven, and I am enormously optimistic, excited and proud that the University of New Haven will be leading this effort."

Connecticut Tech will be comprised of the university's undergraduate and graduate programs in cybersecurity and networks, computer science, data science, and electrical and computer engineering, as well as several research groups. The mission is to foster a technology hub that features an intense focus on applied learning and research.

Over the last few years, the university's cybersecurity and networks program has gained significant national visibility under the leadership of Ibrahim (Abe) Baggili, Elder Family Chair and an internationally recognized expert in cybersecurity, who was appointed director of the Institute.

In 2019, the National Security Agency recognized the university as a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Operations, a designation earned by only 21 universities in the country. The university also received a $4 million Scholarship for Service grant from the National Science Foundation to help prepare cybersecurity professionals for federal, state, and tribal government agencies.

"We pride ourselves as a university on being forward-thinking and market-driven, and I am enormously optimistic, excited and proud that the University of New Haven will be leading this effort."President Steven H. Kaplan, Ph.D.

"Through Connecticut Tech, we are planting a flag that signals we will be the tech and education hub for the state of Connecticut," says Baggili. "We are going to play a pivotal role in stimulating the state's economy, and, beyond that, generating the highest quality students and research in the areas of cybersecurity, computing, and AI.

"We will be catalyzing a new breed of education in Connecticut that fosters technology-enabled innovation and, as always, produces graduates in areas that are in high-demand," Baggili added.

The Institute will foster collaboration and interdisciplinary research across all colleges and schools at the university by incorporating cybersecurity, computing, data science, and AI into non-engineering programs.

"Inclusion of these technologies across all curricula is essential today, when issues of cybersecurity and data breaches are impacting multiple industries and businesses," said Baggili. "Whether it's bank transactions, stock trades, manufacturing data, medical records, criminal records, forensic evidence, scientific data, or retail transactions, it all needs to be secure."

Ron Harichandran, dean of the Tagliatela College of Engineering and vice provost of research, said the reputation of the university's program in cybersecurity, data, and electrical and computer engineering ensures that the Institute will make an immediate impact.

"Launching the Connecticut Institute of Technology will unite the strengths within the Tagliatela College of Engineering and serve as a technology focal point at the university," he said.