Balancing Openness and Protection: Cybersecurity Governance in German Research Institutions

• April 2026
• Tim Stuchtey, Esther Kern, Hanna Denecke, Andreas Könen, Nadine Nagel

• Number 12

Cybersecurity has emerged as a defining challenge for research governance. In Germany, universities and public research institutes operate within a highly open, internationally connected scientific ecosystem that amplifies both innovation and vulnerability. This policy paper examines cybersecurity governance in German research institutions through a science policy lens, focusing on the interplay between academic openness and institutional protection. Drawing on case studies, policy analysis, and expert interviews, the paper identifies systemic weaknesses in organizational culture, fragmented IT governance, and insufficient policy coordination between federal, state, and institutional levels. The authors propose a policy framework for balancing openness and protection by embedding cybersecurity culture, strengthening institutional accountability, and integrating research security into European and national policy instruments such as the NIS-2 Directive.