MPI-SP and Ruhr University Bochum establish the new International Max Planck Research School for Privacy Enhancing Technologies for the Digital Society
The new IMPRS Program will attract students with an exceptional academic record and a keen interest in Security and Privacy to study in Bochum, one of Europe's leading IT security hubs.
The International Max Planck Research School (IMPRS) for Privacy Enhancing Technologies for the Digital Society will tackle one of the most pressing current challenges: in a world that heavily relies on technology and constant data collection, how can we protect our privacy? This program will analyze the issue from 5 perspectives, addressing not only technical but also ethical considerations in order to develop and improve privacy-enhancing technologies.
Students enrolled in the program will be able to choose one of the five focus areas of research:
- Post-quantum cryptography for privacy-enhancing technologies
- Secure and privacy-preserving systems’ infrastructure
- Responsible privacy-preserving system building
- Human-centered privacy-preserving technologies
- Privacy in machine learning applications
The doctoral researchers will be supervised and mentored by 14 leading experts in privacy from the Max Planck Institute of Security and Privacy and Ruhr University Bochum. They will benefit from the strong academic and industry partnerships of these institutions and have the opportunity to participate in research visits and internships in industrial research labs, thereby broadening their skill sets and future career prospects. They will also enjoy a great international environment, working with colleagues from all over the world.
“The program is designed to provide participants with skills to have a successful research career, by offering students the opportunity to explore their interests and develop their abilities”, says Carmela Troncoso, co-spokesperson for the IMPRS program.
The deadline for the first round of applications is June 1st, 2026. Students with a Master’s Degree in Computer Science, IT Security, or related fields, and Students with a Bachelor’s Degree and a strong research background are eligible for this program. More information can be found here: mpi-sp.org/imprs
