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<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:RubFlama;color:#8DAE10">Bochum, May 22, 2025<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:RubFlama"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:16.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:RubFlama;color:#003560">Cluster of Excellence CASA receives funding for another seven years<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:115%"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:RubFlama;color:#003560"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:RubFlama;color:#003560">The
</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:RubFlama;color:#003560"><a href="https://www.dfg.de/en"><span lang="EN-US">German Research Foundation (DFG)
</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:RubFlama;color:#003560">has announced that
<a href="https://casa.rub.de/en/">CASA</a> will continue to receive funding for an additional seven years through the German Excellence Strategy by the federal and state governments, beginning in 2026. 'We are absolutely delighted with this positive decision,'
said Prof. Dr. Eike Kiltz, CASA speaker, who leads the cluster together with Hub Leaders Prof. Dr. Ghassan Karame, Prof. Dr. Christof Paar and Prof. Dr. Angela Sasse. The cluster is based at the Horst Görtz Institute for IT Security within the Faculty of Computer
Science at Ruhr University Bochum. Partner institutions include the Max Planck Institute for Security and Privacy in Bochum, the Technical University of Berlin, the University of Bonn, and the University of Duisburg-Essen.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:RubFlama;color:#003560"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:RubFlama;color:#003560">Strengthening the Resilience of the Digital Society</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:RubFlama;color:#003560"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:RubFlama;color:#003560">'CASA – Securing the Digital Society' aims to strengthen the resilience of our digital society. The emergence of disruptive technologies in recent years, especially
artificial intelligence and quantum computers, has caused substantial new challenges for cybersecurity research. In the second funding phase, CASA will specifically address these challenges. Thematic priorities include the security of quantum technologies,
protection against AI-based disinformation and societal polarization, and new approaches to defending against ransomware.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:RubFlama;color:#003560"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:RubFlama;color:#003560">"To address real threats in the digital space and beyond, CASA will deliver innovative cybersecurity research solutions. By doing so, we intend to make a significant
contribution to safeguarding our society”, Eike Kiltz says. The cluster's research program is divided into six research hubs that cover all levels of digital systems, from quantum-resistant cryptography and the security of new technologies to the development
of trustworthy software, decentralized applications and the human and societal aspects of cybersecurity.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:RubFlama;color:#003560"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:RubFlama;color:#003560">CASA's interdisciplinary and globally unique holistic research approach was already a resounding success in the first funding period from 2019 to 2025. The cluster’s
excellence is underlined by over 500 scientific publications since 2019, including more than 200 at top-tier A* cybersecurity conferences, as well as numerous international awards. These include the renowned DFG Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz prize, which is the
most important scientific award in Germany, 14 ERC grants, five 'Test of Time' awards and the Hong Jin-Ki award.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:RubFlama;color:#003560"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:RubFlama;color:#003560">Transfer and Support of Early-Career Researchers</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:RubFlama;color:#003560"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:RubFlama;color:#003560"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:RubFlama;color:#003560">In the upcoming funding period, an international team of outstanding researchers will collaborate across disciplines to further establish Bochum as a world-leading
research location for cybersecurity. The focus remains on transferring research results into practice — a proven success model from the first funding phase. CASA collaborates closely with a wide network of partners, including major technology companies such
as Google, Meta and Amazon, as well as international NGOs and start-ups from the Bochum innovation ecosystem and beyond.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:RubFlama;color:#003560"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:RubFlama;color:#003560">Supporting early-career researchers is another key priority. Around 100 new positions for early-career researchers are expected to be created in the coming years.
Thanks to its targeted career development programs and a strong commitment to diversity and equity, the cluster has been able to attract top international talent to Bochum for years and will reinforce these efforts in the upcoming funding period. CASA will
continue to deliver pioneering research with sustainable real-world impact and serve as a blueprint for the future of cybersecurity research. The Cluster of Excellence
<i>RESOLV – Ruhr Explores Solvation</i>, an interdisciplinary research project in the field of solvation science, co-hosted by Ruhr University Bochum and TU Dortmund, has also been granted continued funding.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:RubFlama;color:#003560">Kind regards<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:RubFlama;color:#003560"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:RubFlama;color:#003560">Christina Scholten<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:RubFlama;color:#003560"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:RubFlama;color:#003560;mso-fareast-language:DE">RUHR-UNIVERSITÄT BOCHUM<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:RubFlama;color:#8DAE10;mso-fareast-language:DE">Horst Görtz Institut for IT Security/ Cluster of Excellence CASA
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:RubFlama;color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:DE">Marketing and Public Relations<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:RubFlama;color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:DE">MC EG 78, Postfach MC 3<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:RubFlama;color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:DE">Universitätsstr. 150<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:RubFlama;color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:DE">44780 Bochum, Germany<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:RubFlama;color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:DE">Tel: +49-(0)234-32-29274<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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</span><u><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:RubFlama;color:#8DAE10;mso-fareast-language:DE"><a href="mailto:christina.scholten@rub.de"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#8DAE10;mso-fareast-language:EN-US">christina.scholten@rub.de</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></u></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:RubFlama;color:#8DAE10;mso-fareast-language:DE"><a href="http://www.casa.rub.de/"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#8DAE10;mso-fareast-language:EN-US">www.casa.rub.de</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></u></p>
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