Open C3S Overview

What is Open C3S?

The Open Competence Center for Cyber Security (Open C3S) is a project funded by the German ministry of research and education (BMBF) as part of the funding programme “Aufstieg durch Bildung“. The goal of the project is to establish an open environment for interdisciplinary and  professional education in cyber security. This includes degree programmes at Universities as well as individual courses for law enforcement and the private sector. Who is involved? A number of organizations are participating in Open C3S. Nine institutions of higher education are receiving funding by the project, many other organizations are associated and support the project with expertise. Project members are:

  • Hochschule Albstadt-Sigmaringen (project coordinator)
  • Technische Universität Darmstadt
  • Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
  • Hochschule Darmstadt
  • Ruhr-Universität Bochum
  • Hochschule Offenburg
  • Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main
  • Fachhochschule Stralsund
  • Universität Passau

Associated to Open C3S are the following organizations:

  • BITKOM e. V.
  • Bundesamt für Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik
  • Bundeskriminalamt
  • Bund deutscher Kriminalbeamter
  • CAST e. V.
  • fast-detect GmbH
  • Fraunhofer IGD
  • International School of IT-Security AG
  • ISACA
  • Kroll Ontrack GmbH
  • Microsoft Deutschland GmbH
  • PricewaterhouseCoopers AG
  • Recommind GmbH
  • Volkshochschulverband Baden-Württemberg e. V.

What role does Friedrich-Alexander-University (FAU) play in Open C3S?

Open C3S is a large project and it is structured into 6 subprojects. FAU is involved in two subprojects, one of which is coordinated by us:

  • Subproject 3: Development of a part-time Bachelors degree programme in Computer Science/IT Security (coordinated by FAU)
  • Subproject 4: Development of a certificate-based professional training programme in the area of cyber security and cyber forensics

Where can I find more information?

The project started in October 2011 and is evolving gradually. The first funding period is from October 2011 to March 2014, the second funding period is from April 2014 to September 2017. Here are some helpful links to additional information:

For more information, feel free to contact Felix Freiling or Werner Massonne. This project is related to two other teaching programmes that we are involved in: