Entrepreneurial
Cybersecurity
Master of Engineering
Start your company while studying
Cybersecurity!
Entrepreneurial Cybersecurity
Master of Engineering
Start your company while studying Cybersecurity!
Entrepreneurial Cybersecurity (M.Eng.) at Saarland University
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Entrepreneurial Cybersecurity...
...a unique combination of Cybersecurity research and your own startup project
At the end of their studies,
students will have received a Master's Degree,
and, ideally, have founded their startup as well.
Prof. Dr. Andreas Zeller, Program Advisor
At the end of their studies,
students will have received a Master's Degree,
and, ideally, have founded their startup as well.
Prof. Dr. Andreas Zeller, Program Advisor
The Master's Program Entrepreneurial Cybersecurity teaches advanced techniques and state-of-the-art research in Cybersecurity and enables students to apply and put this knowledge into practice by developing a cybersecurity project, write a proof of concept, and develop a market-ready product.
Thus, it combines our strong research at Saarland Informatics Campus, top-ranked in CHE rankings, especially in the area of Cybersecurity with a market-oriented application. Students will work in close collaboration with Cyberecurity researchers at CISPA − Helmholtz Center for Information Security on campus, who will support and guide students in finding and developing their project ideas.
Requirements
Course details
Entrepreneurial Cybersecurity:
Saarland University is the first university to combine Cybersecurity Research with the foundation of a startup leading to a degree of „Master of Engineering (M.Eng.)”. 50% of the program is dedicated to lectures and seminars in „Cybersecurity” and „Computer Science” complemented by courses in „Business Administration” teaching you the basics to found a successful company. The other 50% of the program consist of a „Cybersecurity Project” which is developed in small groups of 3 students, closely supervised by our mentors. Finally, your contribution is summarized in your „Master's Thesis”.
- ⅜ of the course of study consist of courses and seminars on cybersecurity and computer science that teach abilities for scientific work as well as in-depth foundations and relevant research results. In optional and elective courses, students can set a personal focus and specialize further. In particular, students can use study content to turn current research results into an entrepreneurial startup; a lecture series establishes contacts between students and researchers and their ideas.
- ½ of the course of study consists of a founder’s project including a related Master's thesis, in which students work in groups for three semesters on a startup idea from cybersecurity, with the goal to actually create a startup during or after their studies. The students thus learn how to realize current research results in a user- and market-oriented fashion, and they acquire important qualifications such as social competence and responsible team work. Presentations and demonstrations (“sales pitches”) in front of mentors, founders, and investors, challenge the students' technical and social skills in order to refine the startup idea further. In the final Master#s thesis, students can highlight their own personal contribution towards the startup project. The final presentation of the startup project can also decide on further investments.
- ⅛ of the course of study consists of complementary courses, in which students acquire further qualifications for startup creation, including startup courses, business administration, an application domain, or soft skills.
By combining these three parts, the course of study prepares for demanding, innovative, and responsible activities in transferring recent research results in the areas of cybersecurity and computer science towards users and markets. While the course of study primarily aims towards creating a startup, the acquired capabilities will allow for research and development activities in a multitude of work contexts.
Semester 1
Lectures in Cybersecurity, related areas of Computer Science, optional courses (30 ECTS)
Lecture Series "Perspectives of Cybersecurity" on current research topics
Find your scientific mentor and form small groups of 2-4 students.
Semester 2
Lectures in Cybersecurity, related areas of Computer Science, optional courses (15 ECTS)
Cybersecurity Project: first prototype, internal sales pitch (15 ECTS)
Semester 3
Lectures in Cybersecurity, related areas of Computer Science, optional courses (15 ECTS)
Cybersecurity Project: Refine your prototype, sales pitch in front of an external audience (15 ECTS)
Semester 4
Master's Thesis: based on your project, typically, a description of your contribution to the proof of concept. (15 ECTS)
Cybersecurity Project: Proof of Concept, Business plan, Sales pitch in front of investors and supporters. (15 ECTS)
What our students say
In our study program, you are not just taking on any given projects, but you can work on your own ideas and projects to make a living after finishing your studies - which I found very motivating!
Marius Bleif, Graduate of the ECS program
In our study program, you are not just taking on any given projects, but you can work on your own ideas and projects to make a living after finishing your studies - which I found very motivating!
Marius Bleif, Graduate of the ECS program
Saarland University
Cutting-Edge Research
Saarland University enjoys close cooperation with other research institutes on campus, giving it a strong competitive edge in the fields of Computer Science and Nanoscience and in European Studies.
Academic excellence of our
degree courses and our teaching
Top CHE university rankings, high-quality supervision and a modern infrastructure on a well-connected campus.
International city
University life here is international, not just because we are very close to the borders with France and Luxembourg but also because of our degree courses taught in English and collaboration with international institutions.
Campus Life
With good public transport connections to the city center, the University is also close to the forest and offers a variety of sports and leisure activitites on campus.
Cutting-Edge Research
Strong key profiles in Computer Science, Nano Science, and Europe create a competitive profile of Saarland University in collaboration with adjacent Research Centers on Campus.
Quality
of Study Programs and Teaching
One of the leading locations for Computer Science, excellent supervision modern infrastructure on a well-connected Campus.
Internationality
Your studies are international, not just because we are very close to the border with France and Luxemburg, but also because of our English Study Programs and our international Collaborations.
Campus Life
Well-connected to the city center by public transport, the University is situated close to the forest offering various options for sports and leisure activitites on campus.
Prepare your stay at Saarland University
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© Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash
© Photo by Martin Sanchez on Unsplash
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© CISPA
© CISPA
Why Saarbruecken?
Financial support
Coping with COVID-19!
Services & Assistance
Arrival & Settling In
Useful links & Information
Situated in the region where the borders of France, Luxembourg, and Germany meet, everyday life in Saarland has traditionally been international in character. Investigate our Center for International Students.
Five more reasons to live and study in Saarbruecken or its surroundings:
- The open and down-to-earth nature of the people from Saarland (the Saarländers) has always made it easy for newcomers to settle in quickly. Whether you come from Germany, an EU country or other regions of the world - you are always welcome in Saarland!
- Saarland is located in the heart of Europe. In only 1h and 50 minutes, you can reach Paris by train and we have 4 international airports within easy reach. (Saarbrücken, Luxembourg, Frankfurt-Main, and Frankfurt-Hahn)
- Saarland is green! It has the highest proportion of public forest with over 70% and the most natural forest in Germany. It can come up with no less than 3,545 kilometres of rivers and creeks. So: go out into nature, recharge your batteries, and simply leave the stress of everyday life behind you. With its varied landscapes and extensive forests, Saarland is the number one address for health-conscious people from everywhere.
- We love festivals and one event follows another, no matter if you are looking for street food, French-German theater, rock music or classical music: everyone finds an event matching his or her own taste. The festival year begins in Saarbrücken with the Max Ophüls festival for talented German-language filmmakers, which marks the discovery of young talents from Austria, Germany and Switzerland for 36 years. It is followed in early summer by the PERSPECTIVES festival with theatre, acrobatics, dance and performance and in summer, there are several open-air events.
- We are enthusiastic about sports! No surprise, because there could not be a better framework. More than 390,000 people take part in sports in app. 2,200 Saarland clubs. With 40 percent of the population, the state is the absolute leader in a nationwide comparison. Popular sports include hiking, cycling, running, tennis, horseback riding, etc.
Stipends:
Work as a student helper or tutor:
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Accommodation Services:
Language Services:
Have a look at Saarland Unversity's Welcome Center. helping your with planning your arrival and initial formalities. They will be happy to assist you. Just send them an e-mail at welcome@uni-saarland.de.
Upon your arrival in Saarbruecken, you can look forward to your Welcome Week.
About CISPA
The CISPA − Helmholtz Center for Information Security is a German national Big Science
Institution within the Helmholtz Association. Its research agenda comprises
all aspects of Information Security.
With its ongoing growth, CISPA will have the critical mass of researchers
(500+) to provide a comprehensive, holistic treatment of the pressing grand
cybersecurity and privacy research challenges that our society faces in
the age of digitalization. CISPA seeks to play a prominent international
role on research, transfer, and innovation by combining cutting-edge, often
disruptive foundational research with innovative application-oriented research,
corresponding technology transfer, and societal outreach. Thematically,
it strives to cover the full spectrum from theory to empirical research.
It is deeply grounded in computer science and works interdisciplinarily
with researchers in adjacent fields such as medicine, law, and the social
sciences.
FAQ
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