A planned multi-million Euro funding boost for the Helmholtz Centre for Information Security Cispa in Saarland is now dependent on the outcome of an ongoing special investigation, according to reports from the Handelsblatt.
A spokesperson from the Federal Ministry of Research confirmed that the results of the special inquiry will be an integral part of the decision-making process. This investigation was launched after controversial research collaborations involving Cispa with Chinese universities came to light. Its purpose is to clarify any potential deficiencies concerning research security.
Currently, no decision regarding an increase in funding has been made, and the Ministry indicated that this decision is not imminent. The spokesperson noted that the final decision on the funding increase is still two years away. Up until now, Cispa has only been presented with the prospect of this funding increase as a plan, but it has not been formally approved.
In addition to the external investigation, the Ministry has outlined several requirements for the Centre to receive the funding. These prerequisites include the complete integration of the Centre into the program-oriented funding structures of the Helmholtz Association, a positive evaluation, and an organizational development that matches the Centre’s desired scale.
