Expanding the Splunk Academic Alliance to Nurture Tomorrow’s Cybersecurity Leaders

When I think about what drives me in my role, it always comes back to one thing: helping people find greater meaning in their life and career through learning. Throughout my own learning journey, I didn’t always feel like I had a clear direction or access to tools that connected classroom learning to real-world opportunities. That’s why I’m so passionate about bridging that gap for learners today—and why I'm incredibly proud to share that we are creating even more learning opportunities with the expansion of the Splunk Academic Alliance Program.

Talent and Opportunity

At Splunk, we believe that talent is everywhere, but opportunity isn’t. The Academic Alliance is one of the most meaningful ways we can change that. Since its inception, the program has provided free access to a 10GB Splunk Enterprise license, 21 free eLearning courses with labs, and certification for students, faculty, and IT staff at universities around the world. Today, we're making it even more powerful.

What’s New?

Recognizing the shifting security landscape, we are adding Splunk Enterprise Security (ES) and Splunk SOAR Community Edition into the program tiers. The expansion is designed to help students build skills in two of the most in-demand areas of cybersecurity — incident detection and response, and automation. I’m thrilled to share what’s included in the newly expanded program:

• A renewable 10GB license for Splunk Enterprise
• Access to the Splunk App for Enterprise Security via Splunkbase
• SOAR Community Edition for hands-on learning in security orchestration and automation
• Free Splunk training courses for Enterprise, ES, and SOAR, which faculty can integrate directly into their curriculum
• Splunk Certification exam voucher
• Ongoing support and license renewals, all at no cost

Splunk in the Classroom: Building Knowledge and Credentials

Professors and faculty are key to the success of the Splunk Academic Alliance program. One of the most impactful ways faculty can use this program is by integrating Splunk into the classroom experience. When students engage with analytics software used by top organizations across industries, they graduate with far more than theoretical knowledge – they leave with skills, validation, and confidence. Splunk Academic Alliance students learn how to use Splunk software to solve real-world problems, making them highly attractive to employers and giving students credentials that help them stand out in a competitive job market.

Real-World Impact: Student-Powered SOCs

Beyond the classroom, the Academic Alliance is helping universities create real-world learning environments through student-powered Security Operations Centers (SOCs). These on-campus SOCs give students the opportunity to put their knowledge into practice—monitoring threats, analyzing data, and actively defending their institutions from cyber attacks using Splunk. Students working in these SOCs develop the technical and collaborative skills needed to thrive in professional security roles. Leading the way are innovative programs at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), Louisiana State University (LSU), and California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) — all powerful examples of what’s possible when academia meets application.

What's Next

If you're a current Splunk Academic Alliance member and are ready to bring these expanded opportunities to your students and staff, we invite you to re-apply or renew early through the Academic Alliance application page. Please also watch your email for further guidance on the renewal and application process. If you are a university official and would like more information, we encourage you to review the website and consider applying on behalf of your institution.

I am so grateful to the entire Splunk Education team—a group of incredible innovators who continue to find ways to fuel the talent pipeline and create opportunities for learners around the globe. Together, we're not just teaching people how to use our software. We strive to open doors to more opportunity – launching careers that support a stronger and more secure future for all of us.