On May 19 and 20, a delegation from North Rhine-Westphalia led by NRW Minister-President Hendrik Wüst visited the Polish partner region of the Silesian Voivodeship to strengthen cooperation for a resilient Europe. In addition to other critical infrastructure sectors, the trip focused in particular on cybersecurity. During a visit to the University of Katowice, Wüst and Prof. Angela Sasse, CASA PI and Head of the Chair of Human-Centered Security at the Faculty of Computer Science at Ruhr University Bochum, discussed digital resilience, European sovereignty, and international cooperation with students.
In addition to strengthening the partnership between the two regions, the visit also aimed to foster dialogue on key European issues for the future. In the press release from the State Chancellery of North Rhine-Westphalia, Hendrik Wüst is quoted as saying: “ The issue of resilience is becoming increasingly important—whether in healthcare, energy supply, or cybersecurity. Here, too, our regions can learn from one another and develop solutions together. Close cooperation and numerous personal encounters help to further deepen our partnership and breathe life into German-Polish friendship. After all, strong regions form a strong foundation for a united and effective Europe.” (link)
Both partners share a similar history of structural change: former mining regions have evolved into innovative and modern economic hubs with internationally renowned research institutions in the field of cybersecurity. As part of the trip, the delegation visited the “CYBER SCIENCE Silesian Centre for Legal Engineering, Technology and Digital Competence” at the University of Katowice to engage with students.
The CYBER SCIENCE Silesian Centre and the CASA Cluster of Excellence share an interdisciplinary research culture: both centers focus not only on technological innovations but also on their societal impacts and responsible use. In doing so, they make an important contribution to strengthening digital resilience in Europe. Against this backdrop, the partners agreed to intensify their exchange on topics such as the protection of critical infrastructure, digital resilience, and technical perspectives on complex threat scenarios. Their shared goal is to expand European networks in cybersecurity.
Press Release from the Staatskanzlei NRW (available in German only)
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