On Friday, September 23, 2022, the official opening of the CISPA Cysec Labs, the student laboratory of the CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security, took place under the patronage of the Prime Minister.
After the launch of the student lab in November 2020, it was mostly operated digitally due to the pandemic. Following several successful on-site events in summer 2022, CISPA now wants to take the opportunity to present the range of workshops and interactive tasks as part of a ceremonial opening. In the morning, the first school groups from three Saarbrücken schools attended a workshop and the experimental stations. After greetings from the founding director and CEO of CISPA, Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Michael Backes, the Prime Minister Anke Rehlinger, and the Mayor of the city of St. Ingbert, Prof. Ulli Meyer, in front of invited guests, a brief presentation of the student lab concept and a guided tour through the interactive exhibition followed. The event was supported by well-known influencers who were on-site and reported about the Cysec Lab on their channels. From 1 p.m. onwards, the lab was open to the public, allowing students, teachers, parents, and interested parties to drop by and be convinced by the offerings.
The patron of the event, Prime Minister Anke Rehlinger, says: "I am confident that the Cysec Lab of CISPA will be a complete success. A success that will set standards and open up opportunities for young people, especially for female talent. As a state government, we stand firmly by CISPA in our goal to inspire children and young people early and sustainably for the IT sector. For a successful and effective structural transformation in Saarland, we need young skilled professionals. Their creative and innovative potential is the best guarantee for a bright future for our region. Therefore, my great thanks go to Professor Dr. Michael Backes and his team. It is good that we are advancing this future topic together!"
The mayor of St. Ingbert, Prof. Dr. Ulli Meyer, said on the occasion of the opening: "In the new CISPA Cysec Lab, IT history is being made: students can experiment, learn from mistakes, and grasp IT in a tangible way. With the Cysec Lab, we are investing in the IT education of our youngest and thus in the workforce of tomorrow."
The CISPA Cysec Lab student laboratory combines CISPA's youth activities and works closely with researchers. It offers a varied program for students and teachers focused on cybersecurity and computer science, taking into account both school curricula and the interests of the target groups. The program centers on exciting workshops, interactive challenges, and participatory activities. In addition to internships, the lab provides various opportunities to engage with IT security topics on an online platform, where gamification and edutainment play a key role in the design and implementation.
Address: CISPA Cysec Lab
Innovation Park at the Beckerturm
Kaiserstr. 174
66386 St. Ingbert
Contact: cysec-lab@cispa.de
Tel: 0681-87083 1410
About CISPA:
The CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security is a national federal research institution within the Helmholtz Association. We explore information security in all its facets. Our researchers conduct cutting-edge basic research as well as innovative application-oriented research and work on pressing challenges in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and data protection.
