Civil Security

Recent events and crises have heightened our awareness of the importance of civil security. Research and the transfer of knowledge into practice play a crucial role in utilizing innovative developments and enabling practical application, taking into account all stakeholders involved.

Effective disaster management often requires cross-border cooperation. That is why we work together with research institutions, companies, authorities and organizations with security tasks as well as cities and municipalities at the national and international level (esp. at the EU level).

We analyze specific needs and innovative solutions for strengthening societal disaster resilience to natural hazards, pandemics, industrial accidents and terrorism. This includes, for example, the capabilities of organizations involved in disaster management, but also the optimized interaction of organizations with each other and with the public. This also applies to strengthening the resilience of critical infrastructures to ensure the supply of essential goods.

Strengthening civil security also includes preventing and combating crime, radicalization and terrorism. Our work contributes to innovation planning, particularly by identifying the needs of authorities and organizations with security responsibilities.

A relatively new focus is on hybrid threats, for example from cyber attacks, digitally distributed disinformation, but also physical attacks on (critical) infrastructures. In this context, our work is directly linked to the topic area "Synergies: Security, Defense and Space".

The current security research program of the German federal government defines the central fields of action for promoting civil security in Germany. At the European level, the Horizon Europe research framework program is dedicating a separate area to the topic of civil security.  

Our focus is on close cooperation with relevant stakeholders, in particular with organizations involved in disaster management. We use participatory (co-creative) methods to identify current and future needs for more efficient disaster management, to analyze possible existing solutions as well as development and research needs, and to provide recommendations for the successful implementation of innovations. In doing so, we also examine relevant contextual factors such as legal or organizational frameworks. Citizen science approaches are applied to take into account the concerns of the population and, for example, to define measures for efficient risk communication.

At the national and EU level, we promote closer networking among the various stakeholders and more targeted utilization and implementation of innovations and research results. We drive networks forward and develop solutions for implementation problems together with partners in the field.