Qualification concept
Within this research training group, we aim to train individuals who are able to deal with questions of transparency, traceability and the impact of IT systems in real life in a fundamental way. The excellent scientific training, combined with a fast-track doctorate, creates good starting opportunities for an academic career path towards a professorship. Furthermore, the special focus on criminal law issues opens up career paths for graduates in the rapidly expanding field of security agencies and the security industry.
The qualification concept is based on the instruments commonly used in graduate colleges, namely (individual) study programmes and (international) exchange programmes with individuals and working groups that have content-related links to the research training group. The dialogue between the disciplines is supported on the one hand by courses specially tailored to the individual disciplines and on the other hand by an innovative interdisciplinary event format within the framework of the annual cybercrime workshops.
Specialised subject-specific training
The specialised subject-specific training offered by this research training group is based on four pillars:
- Lecture series.
- Research seminar.
- Cybercrime colloquium.
- Annual cybercrime workshop with practice platform.
Lecture series
In a lecture series, participating professors, young researchers and selected practitioners provide insights into fundamental concepts and the latest developments in this area. The lecture series is also intended to give listeners from other disciplines an introduction to the topic.
Research seminar and cybercrime colloquium
In the research seminar, all participants in the research training group (including doctoral candidates) introduce each other to the interdisciplinary fundamentals of their respective fields of work. The main focus here is on discussing the problems and difficulties of their own fields of work and reflecting on them in an interdisciplinary manner. The accompanying colloquium (‘Cybercrime Colloquium’) features lectures and tutorials by selected guests.
Cybercrime workshop with a practice platform
An annual three-day workshop is held as a tool for joint assessment, supplemented by an innovative practical platform. Here, selected practitioners from law enforcement agencies and the courts provide insights into current developments (opportunities and difficulties). In return, this format allows members of the research training group to compare research topics with practical experience.
Building on the long-standing experience of some applicants with teaching methods based on role-playing (‘business games’, simulated expert interviews, ‘capture the flag’ competitions, ‘moot courts’), we have developed a unique teaching format for this research training group that aims to intensively link the two disciplines involved. To implement this teaching format, the doctoral students arrive at the conference venue two days before the start of the cybercrime workshop and are divided into mixed teams consisting of law and computer science students. Each year, these teams must solve an increasingly difficult task that requires the interaction of expertise from both disciplines:
Year 1: Formulation of research tasks
Based on a given case context, the doctoral students must work as a team to formulate a precise research task for a technical piece of evidence.
Year 2: Evaluation of technical expert reports
As part of this task, the teams are initially given a case context and a technical expert report. The teams are then given roles (prosecution, joint plaintiff, defence). The task now is to use the expert report to prepare the part of the closing statement appropriate to their role, including an evaluation of the evidence.
Year 3: Analysis and evaluation of evidence with limited resources
The teams are provided with a case context and a technical piece of evidence (e.g. a hard drive or mobile phone). They are also assigned a role (prosecution, joint plaintiff, defence). The teams then have 2.5 days to conduct a technical analysis, competing with the other teams on their own role. This includes preparing a brief expert opinion and delivering a short plea, including an assessment of evidence, within the framework of the practical platform.