Advance IT Minnesota (formerly called the Center for Strategic IT and Security) is a state center of excellence in information technology and security at Metropolitan State University.  This is one of four such centers created by the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) system.  MnSCU funded the creation of this center at Metropolitan State University (MSU) in 2005 after considering the strength of information technology, information and computer science, information assurance, and management of information systems curriculum at the university and partner institutions.

Since its creation, Advance IT Minnesota has helped:

• Align curriculum with industry needs through a Faculty Council, and build relationships between institutional and industry partners.
• Initiate and support projects related to program and course development through an annual peer and industry reviewed application process.
• Connect students and alumni with employers and network with working professionals.
• Support, fund and manage faculty, student and industry/professional events, including,
  • Symposium on Business Information Security (SoBIS 2005)
  • Annual Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (every year since 2007)
  • Regular OWASP (Open Web Application Security Project) meetings for faculty and students
  • Faculty, student and industry workshop: IT Security – The Future Together (planned 04/2010)
  • Governing partner of Upper Midwest Security Alliance which runs the popular annual regional security conference: Secure360 (www.Secure360.org)