Certification Provider EC-Council Names UMGC 2021 Academic Partner of the Year

Adelphi, Md. (Nov. 30, 2021) – The International Council of E-Commerce Consultants (EC-Council) has named University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) its 2021 Academic Partner of the Year. EC-Council’s most coveted honor recognizes UMGC as the top cybersecurity partner and program in the council’s North America partner community.  

“This award is a testament to the dedication of our faculty and staff in preparing our students for EC-Council certifications, graduation and the workforce,” said Helen Barker, who chairs the Department of Cybersecurity at UMGC. “That the number of UMGC students pursuing EC-Council certifications is one of the largest in the country reflects our commitment to providing students with the skills employers value most.” 

UMGC was selected as Academic Partner of the Year for several notable accomplishments, including offering Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) certification in its CMIT321 ethical hacking course, preparing thousands of students for CEH certification; expanding its programs to include several EC-Council stackable credential opportunities for students; consistently redeveloping courses linked to EC-Council certifications; and offering an extensive faculty network to teach EC-Council courses.  

"We are pleased to award UMGC with our highest honor in the North America education partner community,” said Wesley Alvarez, director of academics at EC-Council. “UMGC has consistently redeveloped courses linked to EC-Council certifications to ensure students have the opportunity to achieve valuable stackable credentials throughout their degree so they can become more competitive in the career field.”  

UMGC is an EC-Council Academia Partner, allowing institutions to take advantage of semester-based learning resources in support of EC-Council certifications, and an Accredited Training Center partner, providing “boot-camp” classes structured around non-credit courses and programs. UMGC was awarded the EC-Council’s Circle of Excellence award for four consecutive years, from 2017 to 2020.  

About UMGC 

Celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2022, University of Maryland Global Campus is a world leader in innovative educational models with award-winning online programs in biotechnology, cybersecurity, data analytics, information technology and other high-demand disciplines in today’s increasingly technical, global workplace. With an enrollment of some 90,000 students, UMGC offers open access with a global footprint and a specific mission—to meet the learning needs of students whose responsibilities may include jobs, family and military service. The university offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees and certificate programs, including doctoral programs. A pioneer in distance education since 1947, UMGC is harnessing the power of learning science and technology to deliver higher education that is accessible, high quality and low-cost.  

About EC-Council

The International Council of E-Commerce Consultants, also known as EC-Council, is the world’s largest cybersecurity technical certification body. It operates in 145 countries globally and is the owner and developer of the world-famous Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), Computer Hacking Forensics Investigator (C|HFI), Certified Security Analyst (ECSA) and License Penetration Testing (Practical) programs, among others. The EC-Council is proud to have trained and certified over 200,000 information security professionals globally who have influenced the cybersecurity mindset of countless organizations worldwide.