10 U.S.C. § 2192c — Office for academic engagement relating to cyber activities

(a) Acting through the Department of Defense Chief Information Officer^*, the Secretary of Defense must establish an office to establish, maintain, and oversee the Department's activities concerning its relationship with academic institutions, including primary, secondary, and postsecondary institutions, on cyber-related matters. This office is the “Office.”

(b) The Office must have a Director who reports directly to the Chief Information Officer. While serving, the Director must be a member of the Senior Executive Service.

(c)(1) The Office must be the consolidated contact point for Defense-academia cyber engagements; coordinate covered academic engagement programs; conduct analyses the Director considers necessary of Defense cyber scholarships, camps, support efforts, and volunteer partnerships; identify ways to improve Defense personnel's cyber skills through those programs for national-defense needs; manage funds and resources for the listed cybersecurity centers, scholarships, university, military-college, and other academic partnerships; establish data-collection, monitoring, and evaluation requirements; monitor and evaluate program performance and advise whether Defense participation should continue, change, or end; and conduct budget oversight and supervision of Defense participation and related responsibilities, considering performance evaluations.

(c)(2) The Office is primarily responsible for carrying out the provisions listed in subparagraphs (A) through (H), including section 2200c of title 10; the cited provisions of the National Defense Authorization Acts for fiscal years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023; and other provisions the Secretary considers relevant.

(d) The Secretary must take necessary steps to ensure that the Director has enough authority to compel and enforce compliance with decisions or directives issued under subsection (c).

(e) Under this chapter or another title provision supporting cyber-related educational programs, unless that provision says otherwise, the Director may enter contracts and cooperative agreements, including for academic and hands-on programs for people entering the Department's cyber field; make financial-assistance grants, including to civilian and military students; give cash awards and other items; accept voluntary services; and support national competition judging, educational events, and related award ceremonies.

(f) The Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and the concerned Secretaries must coordinate and collaborate with the Director on covered academic engagement programs sponsored by the Under Secretary as STEM programs and activities.

(g) “Covered academic engagement program” means a primary, secondary, or postsecondary cyber-focused education program; a Defense program to recruit or retain civilian or military cyberspace personnel, including scholarships, other than a Reserve Officers' Training Corps program; or an academic partnership focused on creating cyber talent among those personnel. This section does not define the quoted term beyond this list.