The Five College system is a unique partnership of Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mt. Holyoke College, Smith College, and the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. This collaborative project expands the ability of each of the five colleges to produce a diverse body of undergraduate and graduate students in the area of Information Assurance. UMass Amherst will lead this effort, leveraging its resources and status as a Center of Academic Excellence in IA. The foundation of this project is the collaborative efforts of six faculty members in the Five Colleges with the aim of creating and sharing resources. By cultivating a culture of interest in IA education and research, we motivate collaborative research proposals and faculty recruiting. Additionally, undergraduate and graduate students leave the Five College system with the interests and skills necessary to improve commercial and research IA systems. We accomplish this through three major activities: Curriculum Development, Faculty Development Through Exposure to External Research, and Lab Development for Hands-on Technical Experience.
