Technical systems are becoming ever more complex and their potential applications ever more diverse. This increases the susceptibility to errors, the number and severity of external hazards and the potential risk to people and the environment from the systems. How can such systems still be made to function safely and reliably?

In order to overcome such a challenge, specialists are needed who are distinguished by their knowledge of safety and security. The Fraunhofer Institute for High-Speed Dynamics (Ernst-Mach-Institut, EMI) and the Fraunhofer Academy are therefore offering two modular, in-service training programs in scientific cooperation with the Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg. The two programs "Safety and Security Engineering" and "Resilience Engineering" end with the Diploma of Advanced Studies (DAS) according to the standard of Swissuni, the continuing education association of Swiss universities.

Modular further training

Individual modules conclude with the Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS). They can be completed in any order or in parallel. The course content is taught in a combination of online self-study phases and attendance phases. For the coming winter semester, which begins on October 26 for both programs, applications can be submitted until September 15.

The continuing education programs, whose development was funded as part of the BMBF competition "Advancement through Education: Open Universities", are aimed, for example, at engineers in the fields of electrical engineering, computer science, microsystems technology, mechanical and plant engineering, robotics, industrial automation and automotive. However, the target group also includes civil engineers, urban and regional planners and urban developers.

The two courses consist of the two compulsory modules "Technical Safety" and "Structural Safety" as well as one elective module each. The "Safety and Security Engineering" program includes the "Risk Analysis" module and the "Resilience Engineering" program includes the "Resilience Analysis" module. The "Safety and Security Engineering" program is primarily aimed at specialists at operational level and people with management responsibilities in the field of technical safety.

"Resilience Engineering" is aimed at a more holistic concept of security. Resilience is generally understood as the ability of technical systems not to fail completely in the event of a partial failure. In addition to such risk reduction, the training program also focuses on the rapid recovery or even improvement of damaged systems. If systems can be restored quickly and efficiently after failures, resource-saving, resilient system designs are possible and risks can also be better controlled.

All types of security

The DAS continuing education courses cover passive, reactive and active safety concepts, such as those that are already part of good development practice in industrial automation or the automotive sector. In addition, alternative safety and verification concepts as well as new methods are also taught.

The Fraunhofer EMI develops technologies, methods and processes to make technical systems and structures as well as buildings, urban districts and infrastructures resistant and robust against threats. The social need for security is just as important as the economic or ecological need. "Our aim is to make knowledge from applied research usable for society," says Dr. Patrick Gelhausen, project manager of the scientific training program at Fraunhofer EMI. "Systems are becoming increasingly complex and more and more interlinked. These interactions must be understood and the players must be comprehensively qualified in order to meet the need for sustainable safety and reliability."