Every first Sunday of the month, various organisations mark Digital Independence Day. The aim is to raise awareness of digital sovereignty and encourage people to switch to platforms that are independent of large corporations. This is also an important issue at Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences. The computer science degree programmes train specialists who will drive forward the digital sovereignty of businesses and public authorities in the future. To raise awareness of this, the university cooperates with organisations such as the Open Source Business Alliance (OSBA). Recently, a group of students took part in the SCS Summit in Berlin.

For a long time, the use of software from large corporations was not questioned. However, the geopolitical situation – and with it, the view of these providers – has since changed. New, expensive subscription models and data protection concerns are prompting many companies and public authorities, as well as private individuals, to consider alternatives. Under the banner of ‘digital sovereignty’, discussions are taking place on how independence from large tech corporations might look. At Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences, this is more than just a passing trend. In the computer science degree programmes, lecturers have long been emphasising the importance of independence when it comes to digital infrastructure. One of them is Prof. Dr Oliver Radfelder. Together with his colleagues, he equips students to develop and select tailor-made open-source solutions. “Dependence on tech giants leaves us vulnerable. That’s why it’s important to us that our students learn how to develop their own software solutions and come up with sound arguments as to why companies should switch to these alternatives,” he says. Ideally, graduates from Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences would use their skills to persuade more and more companies to rethink their approach.

For some students, the consistent focus on open source was a reason to enrol at Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences. This was also the case for Franjo Gießel. He initially began his computer science degree at a university before transferring to the university of applied sciences. “My decision to study at Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences was based, amongst other things, on the high proportion of practical work, the wide range of compulsory-elective modules, the information and induction sessions, the manageable size of the institution, and the consistent reliance on open-source technologies for online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. At the university I attended previously, I felt I was getting lost in online teaching in modules with over a thousand people,” he says. 

IT infrastructure team tests applications on its own servers

The fact that the university was able to switch to online teaching quickly and smoothly at the start of the pandemic was due, in part, to the work of the IT infrastructure team. Whilst many universities and companies turned to paid solutions such as Zoom and Teams to maintain digital teaching, the computer science programmes in Bremerhaven made the video conferencing systems Jitsi and BigBlueButton – which had already been tested on their servers for some time – available to everyone. This was later followed by the Matrix messaging service, which allows students and staff to communicate without having to provide their phone numbers. As the programmes run on the university’s own servers, data protection is also ensured. Franjo Gießel has been a member of the infrastructure group since his second semester. He describes the work as follows: “In our computer science degree programme, we have specific requirements for teaching infrastructure. That’s why, over the years, students, together with staff and lecturers, have built up a robust learning and teaching infrastructure, which is administered and expanded by the very same people. In some cases, it provides an experimental environment in which research hypotheses can be tested and final-year projects written. Students can also voluntarily learn how to administer this infrastructure, which goes far beyond what is taught on the degree programme.” 

This strong practical focus and the opportunity to try out programming in a secure environment make studying computer science in Bremerhaven something special for many. This is also demonstrated time and again by the results of the CHE rankings, for example. “Right from the first semester, our students learn how to work sustainably in the digital realm. This makes sense, because the demand for expert architecture is growing. At the same time, it’s also fun to think about the structure yourself. Students should understand what lies behind operating systems and software,” says Prof. Radfelder. This approach is also important to Franjo Gießel: “We can only understand code that we can look into; only then can we learn from it, identify problems and solve them. In my view, digital sovereignty only works with open-source software. Dependence on monopolists in the US or China not only makes our economy dependent on the decisions of a few individuals, but – particularly in the public sector – we may well be sharing personal and sensitive data with precisely these entities.”

Sovereignty is political

Digital sovereignty is no longer a topic discussed solely in universities and businesses. It has also reached the political arena. The Federal Ministry for Digital and State Modernisation has launched the Deutschland Stack, a national sovereign technology platform for digital projects in Germany. The ministry relies on open, international industry standards, open-source software and open interfaces to better interconnect systems. The Sovereign Cloud Stack (SCS) has been defined within the Deutschland Stack as the standard to be adhered to in the area of managed services and the cloud. For this reason, it has been incorporated into the curriculum. “Students of Computer Science and Business Informatics spent a semester working intensively on the Sovereign Cloud Stack – setting it up, analysing it, taking it apart and, in some cases, recreating it using their own resources. Step by step, they familiarised themselves with this IT infrastructure. In a one-day workshop with Felix Kronlage-Dammers from the Open Source Business Alliance, they were able to discuss open questions, problems and perspectives,” explains programme director Prof. Dr Karin Vosseberg. This opportunity was warmly received by the students. Through such events and similar ones, they gain an insight into the political dimensions of digital sovereignty, which they may not always have been aware of. 

Participation in the SCS Summit gives students insights into the topic 

In addition, they were invited by the Open Source Business Alliance to this year’s SCS Summit in Berlin. “There, we were able to present our academic culture – characterised by the triad of digital sovereignty, open source and sustainability – in a presentation. The students were able to engage with the participants on an equal footing and received a great deal of encouragement for their approach to immersive learning,” explains Prof. Vosseberg. For the three students, Justus Schlicht, Liam Johanns and Phil Focke, taking part was exciting for a variety of reasons. “It was refreshing to meet key representatives of the Sovereign Cloud Stack and, despite significant differences in experience, to recognise aspects of our university’s philosophy in their views. It was also interesting to realise that the topic of ‘digital sovereignty’, as it is currently being discussed, is actually more multifaceted than it appears at first glance. In the process, I realised just how strongly one’s own background shapes the definition and interpretation of this term,” says Justus Schlicht, describing his experiences. Liam Johanns also gained a great deal from the SCS Summit: “When we were there, it was overwhelming at first. Suddenly, everything felt so ‘official’. But I was able to gain a good insight into the current political and economic situation. Although I would have liked to see more technology-focused presentations, the economic factor will play a major role in the transition to a digitally sovereign Germany and Europe. This became even more apparent at the summit.”  Phil Focke found the exchange helpful in sharpening his own perspective: “The exchange with the various people working in companies active within the SCS context has once again highlighted some new aspects of the open-source and open-standards movement for us. However, it was also very interesting to refine our own arguments and perspectives on what the use and development of future European sovereign cloud and AI environments should look like.”

The application period for the 2026/27 winter semester at Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences remains open until 15 August. The Bachelor’s degree programmes in Computer Science and Business Informatics, as well as the Master’s degree programme in Computer Science – Trustworthy Systems, are also accepting new students. Further information on the application process can be found for the Bachelor’s programmes at www.hs-bremerhaven.de/bachelorbewerbung and for the Master’s programmes at www.hs-bremerhaven.de/masterbewerbung. 

In addition, the Master’s programme is hosting a ‘Trustworthy Systems Day’ on 8 July at 12.30 pm. Full details are available at www.hs-bremerhaven.de/de/aktuelles/veranstaltungen-uebersicht/inf/tag-der-vertrauenswuerdigen-systeme