RC Trust bundles cutting-edge research on trustworthy AI

The University Alliance Ruhr (UA Ruhr) presented its Research Center Trustworthy Data Science and Security (RC Trust) to the public for the first time on Monday, November 3. The "Grand Opening" was attended by 120 guests from science, industry and politics at the Dortmunder U. At RC Trust, the three Ruhr area universities are conducting joint research into reliable and responsible artificial intelligence (AI) - with a view to specific applications and social impact.

The three partners of the UA Ruhr - TU Dortmund University, Ruhr-Universität Bochum and the University of Duisburg-Essen - are jointly supporting the RC Trust, which has been under development since 2021. In the meantime, 12 research professorships and one junior professorship have already been filled. The UA Ruhr has been able to attract several top international researchers, including from Japan and England. In addition, there are 4 Young Investigator Groups, 11 postdocs and 32 doctoral students. The scientists cover the entire interdisciplinary research spectrum with a human-centered approach: from trustworthy data analysis and explainable machine learning to questions of cyber security and data control.

Minister President Hendrik Wüst sent a video message at the opening ceremony: "Our goal is clear: North Rhine-Westphalia will become the leading digital region in Europe and an AI hotspot. Acceptance is crucial for this to succeed. The Research Center Trustworthy Data Science and Security is an important reinforcement for cybersecurity research. The focus here is on trust and security. Because only if people have confidence in new technologies can we fully exploit their potential." In her video message, NRW Science Minister Ina Brandes emphasized the social relevance of the Center's research priorities: "Here, in the heart of the Ruhr region, a place is being created where the pressing issues of our digital society are being researched with scientific excellence and curiosity. Artificial intelligence, big data and cyber security - the decisive factor is no longer whether, but how these technologies will become part of our everyday lives: responsibly, transparently and securely. This is what the Research Center Trustworthy Data Science and Security of the Research Alliance Ruhr stands for."

Research for secure and robust IT systems

The scientists at RC Trust research secure and robust IT systems that remain reliable even in the event of new data, disruptions or targeted attacks. The interdisciplinary teams are also investigating the question of when and why people trust AI and where the limits lie. They are developing applications in which users retain control and can understand decisions, for example in the field of digital health support, in administration or in educational contexts.

For example, the researchers check the reliability of AI results. They transparently highlight uncertainties and answer questions such as: "How much can I trust the answers from ChatGPT, for example?" New methods also ensure that conclusions are reliable and reproducible - a prerequisite for trustworthy decisions in science, business and society.

In this context, Prof. Manfred Bayer, Rector of TU Dortmund University, underlined what distinguishes the excellent research conditions in the Ruhr region from other regions: "This research center shows what is possible when universities join forces instead of competing with each other. In the University Alliance Ruhr, we combine our different strengths - and it is precisely this cooperation that gives us our real competitive advantage in the global research environment."

Successful establishment of the Research Alliance Ruhr

The UA Ruhr founded the Research Alliance Ruhr in 2021 to pool and jointly expand its cutting-edge international research. In addition to the Trustworthy Data Science and Security Research Center, there are three other research centers focusing on One Health Ruhr, Chemical Sciences and Sustainability and Future Energy Materials and Systems, as well as the College for Social Sciences and Humanities. A total of around 50 new professorships are being created here, two thirds of which have already been filled. The Research Alliance Ruhr was initiated by the Ruhr Conference of the state government of North Rhine-Westphalia and is funded by the Ministry of Culture and Science. Around 75 million euros were available for the start-up phase from 2022 to 2024. Since 2025, the state has been permanently funding the research centers and the college with a total of 48 million euros per year.

To the RC Trust