Heartland Payment Systems and the Smart Card Alliance have launched the National Center for Advanced Payments and Identity Security, a new training facility hosted by the Alliance. Through a grant from Heartland, the new center is intended to help protect consumers' privacy and advance the data security of payments and identity through education programs on industry best practices and advances in security technology.

The center, located at 2900 Crystal Drive in Arlington, Va., offers live, interactive and dynamic education activities including workshops, courses, briefings, symposiums, training and certification testing for the Alliance's Certified Smart Card Industry Professional and Certified System Engineer Identity Credentialing and access management physical Access control systems training and certification programs.

"Education is fundamental to improving the way the industry manages security," Randy Vanderhoof, executive director of Smart Card Alliance, said in a press release. "With this donation from Heartland Payment Systems, the Smart Card Alliance is able to greatly expand education and collaboration programs aimed at improving security across multiple markets and subject areas, including payment security, identity security and privacy protection, through face-to-face and online events and assets."

"Protecting customers is our number one priority so it is a duty that we help educate them to better protect consumers' privacy and advance the security of payments and identity through education programs on best industry practices and advances in security technologies like our Heartland Secure, Heartland Secure Out-of-Scope solution and our comprehensive breach warranty," Robert O. Carr, chairman and CEO of Heartland, said in a statement.