The University of Missouri-Kansas City has entered into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with the United States Cyber Command.

This partnership is set to transform the landscape of artificial intelligence and cybersecurity through collaborative education and research.

UMKC is the first university in the country to sign a cooperative research and development agreement with the United States Cyber Command. This partnership is also only the second to be signed by the command overall, positioning UMKC at the forefront of cybersecurity and AI research.

“This partnership represents a key milestone in demonstrating the technical relevance of UMKC and the Missouri Institute for Defense and Energy’s (MIDE) faculty, staff and students,” said Travis Fields, Ph.D., interim director of MIDE. “We are excited to work on research and development cyber solutions for the Department of Defense.”

UMKC has also entered into an Educational Partnership Agreement with the United States Cyber Command, which aims to enrich UMKC students' learning experiences by providing them with access to internships, guest lectures and state-of-the-art research facilities. UMKC is excited to play a key role in training future leaders of the AI and cybersecurity workforce.

By combining the university’s academic and research excellence with the United States Cyber Command’s operational expertise to drive innovation in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, this partnership also serves as a collaborative framework for joint research projects. The collaborative efforts are expected to lead to the development of advanced solutions to tackle complex cybersecurity challenges, benefiting both national security interests and the broader field of technology.