The thematic focus on Digitalisation, Networked Society and (Internet) Cultures creates fruitful inter-faculty links at the University of Passau, spanning linguistics and cultural studies, business, economics, computer science, law and psychology. The involved researchers are working on topics such as changes in how we communicate and the phenomenon of filter bubbles in digital channels, data-driven platform economies and their ramifications for established organisations and regulatory policy, or the risks and opportunities of digitalisation for developing countries.
Our Strengths
<>Profile of the University of Passau. Since 2011 the University of Passau has been exploring the societal effects of digitalisation across all faculties. Examples of this are the Technik Plus development initiative, the federally funded SKILL project (webpage in German) and the establishment of the Passau Centre for e-Humanities, which is also funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. Based on the fruitful co-operation in these, and many other, projects, scholars and scientists at Passau developed the thematic focus on Digitalisation, Networked Society and (Internet) Cultures. Building on past successes and strong performances in recent THE worldwide university rankings, including the THE Young Universities Rankings (of universities under 50), the University strives to become one of the leading European centres of interdisciplinary basic research on the societal implications of digitalisation by its 50th anniversary in 2028.

<>International and interdisciplinary. Our researchers have access to the resources of the Passau International Centre for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies (PICAIS), our central scholarly unit under the roof of the Researcher and ECR Support Services Division. PICAIS provides support for interdisciplinary project and conference ideas, integrating international visiting researchers into the research landscape at the University of Passau.
<>Excellent conditions for early career researchers.The University considers it an important building block for research excellence to afford the best possible support to its early career researchers. This is shown in the fact that our researchers are able to attract special funding lines and engage in top-rate research. Examples of this are the DFG Research Training Group 1681/2 'Privacy and Digitalisation', the internationally-focused ZD.B Junior Research Groups, and two certificate programmes in Digital Technology and Entrepreneurship, which are also funded by the Bavarian Ministry of Science through its digital innovation hub, Zentrum Digitalisierung.Bayern (ZD.B; webpage in German).
Topics explored by our early career researchers
Professor Stefan Bauernschuster
How do political measures influence decisions made by individuals and families?
How do political measures influence decisions made by individuals and families?
Professor Michael Grimm
What are the measures that enable developing countries to participate in global market processes?
What are the measures that enable developing countries to participate in global market processes?
Professor Michael Grimm has held the Chair of Development Economics of the University of Passau since 2012. Prior to this, he held the posts of Professor of Applied Development Economics at Erasmus University Rotterdam, Visiting Professor at Paris School of Economics and Advisor for the World Bank in Washington, D.C. (United States).
Professor Rüdiger Harnisch
Which spaces do we use to communicate online and offline?
Which spaces do we use to communicate online and offline?
Professor Carolin Häussler
How can we use and increase the innovative strength of fluid organisations?
How can we use and increase the innovative strength of fluid organisations?
Professor Harry Haupt
What modern statistical methods are there to analyse complex data?
What modern statistical methods are there to analyse complex data?
Professor Stefan Katzenbeisser
How can critical infrastructures in a networked world be protected against cyber attacks?
How can critical infrastructures in a networked world be protected against cyber attacks?
Professor Stefan Katzenbeisser has held the Chair of Computer Engineering at the University of Passau since 2019. He is a member of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), the Gesellschaft für Informatik (GI) and Senior Member of the Institute for Electrical and Electronics (IEEE). He is head of a subproject on applied cryptography at the DFG Collaborative Research Centre CROSSING at the TU Darmstadt.
Professor Andreas König
What does digitalisation do to influence spheres and communication spaces in and around organisations?
What does digitalisation do to influence spheres and communication spaces in and around organisations?
Professor Andreas König has held the Chair of International Management of the Faculty of Business, Economics and Information Systems, University of Passau, since 2013. His research output is published in leading international journals such as Administrative Science Quarterly, the Academy of Management Review and Research Policy.
Professor Jan Krämer
What conditions are required on the internet to create competition and innovation?
What conditions are required on the internet to create competition and innovation?
Professor Hans Krah
How credible is the worldview created by the digital and analogue media?
How credible is the worldview created by the digital and analogue media?
Professor Kai von Lewinski
What does the internet mean for geographically limited legal systems?
What does the internet mean for geographically limited legal systems?
Professor Susanne Mayr
How does being connected online affect us as humans?
How does being connected online affect us as humans?
Professor Martina Padmanabhan
What opportunities and problems does digitalisation pose for the disadvantaged?
What opportunities and problems does digitalisation pose for the disadvantaged?
Professor Martina Padmanabhan has held the Chair of Comparative Development and Cultural Studies with a focus on Southeast Asia since 2012, where she implements new methodologies for interdiciplinarity.
Professor Ursula Reutner
Where will digitalisation take us: towards a unified culture or ever greater diversity?
Where will digitalisation take us: towards a unified culture or ever greater diversity?
Professor Hannah Schmid-Petri
How are digitalisation issues publicly discussed and what consequences does that have for political processes?
How are digitalisation issues publicly discussed and what consequences does that have for political processes?
Professor Hannah Schmid-Petri has been holder of the Chair of Science Communication at the University of Passau since 2017. She analyses public discussions on political issues such as digitalisation and climate change.
Professor Jan Hendrik Schumann
How does it affect people when firms pass on their data?
How does it affect people when firms pass on their data?
Professor Daniela Wawra
In what ways do collectives construct digital spaces for public relations?
In what ways do collectives construct digital spaces for public relations?
Professor Thomas Widjaja
What changes when companies develop new services using customer data?
What changes when companies develop new services using customer data?