Information systems such as learning platforms, chat programs and video tools are playing an increasingly important role in everyday digital school life. However, there are often concerns about their security in terms of data protection. Researchers from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and the University of Kassel want to remedy this situation with a data protection certification in the DIRECTIONS project (stands for: Data Protection Certification for Educational Information Systems) and ensure greater security for information systems in schools. The parties involved have now published a list of criteria that serves as the basis for the first official certification in the education sector.
"Data protection in schools is a major issue when it comes to new technologies. Digital networking means that the personal information of users, especially students, can easily be misused," says Professor Ali Sunyaev from the Institute for Applied Informatics and Formal Description Methods (AIFB) at KIT. A new data protection certification, developed for the first time for the education sector, is intended to ensure greater security in data protection. "Such certifications are essential proof of legal compliance. The DIRECTIONS certification is the first data protection certification in the education sector that can prove that all system requirements comply with the Datenschutz-Grundverordnung (DSGVO)," says Sunyaev.
Criteria Catalog for Compliance with Data Protection
The scientists at KIT and the University of Kassel have developed a list of criteria for compliance with the DSGVO. This catalog presents data protection criteria that providers must comply with for data protection-compliant certification. "On 166 pages, the catalog lists, for example, the rights and obligations of the system provider as well as requirements for system design or data processing outside the EU," explains Dr. Sebastian Lins from KIT's AIFB. "The catalog is considered a milestone in the project, as it forms the basis for the declarations of commitment and certification. What is also special here is that it takes into account the state school laws in addition to the DSGVO."
Transparency and Security in the Education Sector
The researchers want to test the DIRECTIONS catalog in practice with selected providers of school information systems in the near future. The aim is to be able to use the DIRECTIONS certification as a reliable certification for school programs in the future. "Teachers and school administrators are uncertain about the integration of new IT programs into everyday school life. Data protection requirements are often strict and complex. There is a lack of knowledge and time to check everything accurately," says Eva Späthe from KIT's AIFB. "With our reliable certification, schools could put their concerns about IT programs to one side, as it creates transparency and security," adds Sunyaev.
The BMBF is funding the project from 2021 to 2027 with around 6.2 million euros. KIT will receive almost four million euros of this. The University of Kassel, datenschutz cert GmbH and Trusted Cloud e.V. are also involved in DIRECTIONS.
Further information
The criteria catalog is publicly available
Details on the KIT Center Information ˑ Systems ˑ Technologies
Being “The Research University in the Helmholtz Association”, KIT creates and imparts knowledge for the society and the environment. It is the objective to make significant contributions to the global challenges in the fields of energy, mobility, and information. For this, about 10,000 employees cooperate in a broad range of disciplines in natural sciences, engineering sciences, economics, and the humanities and social sciences. KIT prepares its 22,800 students for responsible tasks in society, industry, and science by offering research-based study programs. Innovation efforts at KIT build a bridge between important scientific findings and their application for the benefit of society, economic prosperity, and the preservation of our natural basis of life. KIT is one of the German universities of excellence.
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