New Adjunct Professor of Secure Communication Systems

17 February 2026

With the appointment of PD Dr. Corinna Schmitt as an adjunct professor, the University of the German Armed Forces in Munich is placing significant emphasis on the connection between research, teaching, and practical application in the field of cybersecurity and networked communication systems. For many years, Corinna Schmitt has been active in research and teaching on secure communication in heterogeneous multi-domain networks and trustworthy digital infrastructure, and she heads the Secure Communication Systems (SeCoSys) research division at the CODE Research Institute.

The SeCoSys research group is dedicated to addressing the multifaceted challenges of secure communication in complex networked systems across a wide range of applications on the ground and in the air. A core element of the research is the systematic investigation of secure architectures and protocols, as well as the development of concepts that secure networks and data management across heterogeneous domains. This integrative approach takes into account transparent identity, access, and trust models and develops solutions that meet both efficiency requirements and regulatory and user-related needs.

In her teaching, Prof. Dr. Schmitt consistently strives to introduce students to current research topics and real-world challenges in cybersecurity. She teaches the fundamentals, methods, and practical aspects of secure communication and networked systems in various courses for bachelor’s and master’s students. Her teaching activities are deliberately practice-oriented and include experimental exercises and case studies to prepare students for research-oriented tasks and concrete challenges in IT security. Various thesis projects forge strong links between academic theory and practical application — whether through collaborative projects with industry, national research partnerships, or interdisciplinary tasks. The diversity of these topics reflects the breadth of research at SeCoSys and ideally prepares students for future careers in research, industry, and security.

Prof. Dr. Schmitt and her team are involved in numerous national and international projects that extend far beyond traditional academic boundaries:

• NEWSROOM – A project to develop integrated concepts for cyber situational awareness in joint European defense research.
• Capacity Building for the NCC-DE – Strengthening the capabilities of the National Coordination Center for Cybersecurity in industry, research, and technology.
• Air Mobility Integration U-Space (AMIUS) – Projects focused on the secure integration of digital services in the context of urban air mobility.

These initiatives combine research with application-oriented goals, foster networks between academia and industry, and produce practical results that are applicable in both academic and real-world contexts.

Furthermore, as part of her work at the National Cybersecurity Coordination Center (NCC), Prof. Dr. Schmitt plays a key role at the strategic interface between national and European cybersecurity architectures. Specifically, on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Defense, this support takes the form of analyzing military research needs in the field of cybersecurity, identifying synergies with civilian security research, and fostering targeted networking within the cybersecurity community. In this way, she makes an important contribution to the strategic integration of defense, research, and innovation activities at the national and European levels.

Photo: © UniBw M/U.Borghoff