Wayne Patterson SYCS 654 Spring 2010

An Emerging Issue  Governments, the private sector, and academic institutions are beginning to focus on the importance of developing policies for international information sharing as a mechanism for combatting international cybersecurity threats  To indicate Howard University’s role and interest in this process, we have entered into various partnerships regarding the field of cybersecurity domestically with such diverse institutions as George Mason University, Stevens Institute of Technology, the College of Charleston, the University of Texas at El Paso, and several others.  But cyberspace does not respect international boundaries, and so it is equally important to develop such partnerships internationally.  Thus we have developed agreements with the University of New Brunswick (Canada), Stellenbosch University and the University of the Western Cape (South Africa), Makerere University (Uganda), the University of Chile, and the National University of Rwanda among others.

MOU/MOA  The normal mechanism for the development of partnership is usually called either a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or Memorandum of Agreement (MOA).  An MOU/MOA is sometimes necessary between two or more organizations to proceed with joint efforts.  This is especially true in an international context.  Normally the MOU/MOA agreement precedes specific direction to be taken for a single project.  Specific MOUs with the University of Sao Paulo (Brazil) and other partners; and with Concordia University (Canada), Universidad Autonoma de Queretaro (Mexico) and others will be posted.