diff --git a/src/lib/auth/acl.ts b/src/lib/auth/acl.ts
index a204574c..83a7df3d 100644
--- a/src/lib/auth/acl.ts
+++ b/src/lib/auth/acl.ts
@@ -24,6 +24,21 @@ export const ROLES_PERMISSIONS: Record<UserRole, Permission[]> = {
   GUEST: [Permission.COURSE_VIEW],
 };
 
+const ROLE_HIERARCHY = [UserRole.GUEST, UserRole.STUDENT, UserRole.INSTRUCTOR, UserRole.ADMIN] as const;
+
+const roleHierarchyIndex = new Map<UserRole, number>(
+  ROLE_HIERARCHY.map((role, index) => [role, index]),
+);
+
+const rolePermissionsCache = new Map<UserRole, Permission[]>();
+
+function getPermissionsForRole(role: UserRole): Permission[] {
+  if (!rolePermissionsCache.has(role)) {
+    rolePermissionsCache.set(role, ROLES_PERMISSIONS[role] ?? []);
+  }
+  return rolePermissionsCache.get(role)!;
+}
+
 // Cache for permission lookups to avoid repeated evaluation
 const permissionCache = new Map<string, boolean>();
 
@@ -35,7 +50,7 @@ function getPermissionCacheKey(role: UserRole, permission: Permission): string {
 }
 
 /**
- * Check if a user (or any object that contains a role) has a specific permission.
+ * Check if a user (or any object that contains a role)  has a specific permission.
  */
 export function hasPermission(user: RoleHolder | null | undefined, permission: Permission): boolean {
   if (!user) return false;
@@ -44,7 +59,7 @@ export function hasPermission(user: RoleHolder | null | undefined, permission: P
   const cached = permissionCache.get(cacheKey);
   if (cached !== undefined) return cached;
 
-  const permissions = ROLES_PERMISSIONS[user.role] ?? [];
+  const permissions = getPermissionsForRole(user.role);
   const result = permissions.includes(permission);
   permissionCache.set(cacheKey, result);
   return result;
@@ -105,9 +120,10 @@ export function isAtLeastRole(userRole: UserRole | null | undefined, role: UserR
   const cached = roleHierarchyCache.get(cacheKey);
   if (cached !== undefined) return cached;
 
-  const hierarchy = [UserRole.GUEST, UserRole.STUDENT, UserRole.INSTRUCTOR, UserRole.ADMIN];
-  const userRoleIndex = hierarchy.indexOf(userRole);
-  const requiredRoleIndex = hierarchy.indexOf(role);
+  const userRoleIndex = roleHierarchyIndex.get(userRole);
+  const requiredRoleIndex = roleHierarchyIndex.get(role);
+
+  if (userRoleIndex === undefined || requiredRoleIndex === undefined) return false;
 
   const result = userRoleIndex >= requiredRoleIndex;
   roleHierarchyCache.set(cacheKey, result);
@@ -119,5 +135,6 @@ export function isAtLeastRole(userRole: UserRole | null | undefined, role: UserR
  */
 export function clearAclCaches(): void {
   permissionCache.clear();
+  rolePermissionsCache.clear();
   roleHierarchyCache.clear();
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/middleware/rbac.ts b/src/middleware/rbac.ts
index 9e7dbdb4..6cc85aa5 100644
--- a/src/middleware/rbac.ts
+++ b/src/middleware/rbac.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { NextResponse } from 'next/server';
+
 import type { NextRequest } from 'next/server';
 import { UserRole } from '@/types/api';
 import { isAtLeastRole } from '@/lib/auth/acl';
@@ -14,6 +15,63 @@ const ROUTE_PERMISSIONS: Record<string, UserRole> = {
   '/profile': UserRole.STUDENT,
 };
 
+type RouteDecision = 'allow' | 'login' | 'unauthorized';
+
+class RoutePermissionCache {
+  private store = new Map<string, { decision: RouteDecision; expiry: number }>();
+  private readonly TTL_MS = 60_000;
+  private readonly MAX_SIZE = 1000;
+
+  get(key: string): RouteDecision | null {
+    const entry = this.store.get(key);
+    if (!entry) return null;
+    if (Date.now() > entry.expiry) {
+      this.store.delete(key);
+      return null;
+    }
+    return entry.decision;
+  }
+
+  set(key: string, decision: RouteDecision): void {
+    if (this.store.size >= this.MAX_SIZE) {
+      const oldestKey = this.store.keys().next().value;
+      if (oldestKey !== undefined) {
+        this.store.delete(oldestKey);
+      }
+    }
+    this.store.set(key, { decision, expiry: Date.now() + this.TTL_MS });
+  }
+
+  clear(): void {
+    this.store.clear();
+  }
+}
+
+const routePermissionCache = new RoutePermissionCache();
+
+function getSessionId(request: NextRequest): string {
+  return request.cookies.get('session')?.value ?? 'anonymous';
+}
+
+function getCacheKey(
+  pathname: string,
+  userRole: UserRole | null,
+  sessionId: string,
+): string {
+  return `${sessionId}:${pathname}:${userRole ?? 'none'}`;
+}
+
+function decisionToResponse(
+  decision: RouteDecision,
+  request: NextRequest,
+): NextResponse | null {
+  if (decision === 'allow') return null;
+  if (decision === 'login') {
+    return NextResponse.redirect(new URL('/login', request.url));
+  }
+  return NextResponse.redirect(new URL('/unauthorized', request.url));
+}
+
 /**
  * RBAC Helper for Middleware
  */
@@ -22,25 +80,30 @@ export function checkRoutePermission(
   userRole: UserRole | null,
 ): NextResponse | null {
   const { pathname } = request.nextUrl;
+  const sessionId = getSessionId(request);
+  const cacheKey = getCacheKey(pathname, userRole, sessionId);
+
+  const cachedDecision = routePermissionCache.get(cacheKey);
+  if (cachedDecision) {
+    return decisionToResponse(cachedDecision, request);
+  }
 
   // Find the required role for the current path
   const requiredRole = Object.entries(ROUTE_PERMISSIONS).find(
     ([path]) => pathname === path || pathname.startsWith(`${path}/`),
   )?.[1];
 
+  let decision: RouteDecision;
   if (!requiredRole) {
-    return null; // No specific role required for this route
-  }
-
-  // If no user role is provided, they are probably not logged in
-  if (!userRole) {
-    return NextResponse.redirect(new URL('/login', request.url));
+    decision = 'allow';
+  } else if (!userRole) {
+    decision = 'login';
+  } else if (!isAtLeastRole(userRole, requiredRole)) {
+    decision = 'unauthorized';
+  } else {
+    decision = 'allow';
   }
 
-  if (!isAtLeastRole(userRole, requiredRole)) {
-    // Redirect to an unauthorized page or dashboard
-    return NextResponse.redirect(new URL('/unauthorized', request.url));
-  }
-
-  return null; // Access granted
-}
+  routePermissionCache.set(cacheKey, decision);
+  return decisionToResponse(decision, request);
+}
\ No newline at end of file