RC Trust Brings Together Top-Level Research on Trustworthy AI

The University Alliance Ruhr (UA Ruhr) presented its Research Center Trustworthy Data Science and Security (RC Trust) to the public on 3 November. The Grand Opening at the Dortmunder U brought together 120 guests from academia, industry and policy. At RC Trust, the three universities in the Ruhr region conduct joint research on reliable and responsible artificial intelligence (AI)—with a focus on concrete applications and societal impact.

The three UA Ruhr partners—TU Dortmund University, Ruhr University Bochum and the University of Duisburg-Essen—jointly support RC Trust, which has been under development since 2021. So far, 12 research professorships and one junior professorship have been filled. The UA Ruhr has recruited several leading international researchers, including from Japan and England. In addition, there are 4 Young Investigator Groups, 11 postdocs and 32 doctoral researchers. With a human-centered approach, RC Trust’s researchers cover the full interdisciplinary spectrum: from trustworthy data analysis and explainable machine learning to cybersecurity and data governance.

In a video message for the occasion, Minister President Hendrik Wüst said: “Our goal is clear: North Rhine-Westphalia will become Europe’s leading digital region and an AI hotspot. To make that happen, public acceptance is crucial. The Research Center Trustworthy Data Science and Security is an important boost to cybersecurity research. Here, trust and security take center stage. Only if people trust new technologies can we harness their full potential.” Ina Brandes, North Rhine-Westphalia’s Minister of Culture and Science, underscored the societal relevance of the center’s research priorities in her video message: “Here in the heart of the Ruhr region, a place is emerging where the pressing questions of our digital society are explored with scientific excellence and curiosity. Artificial intelligence, big data or cybersecurity—the key issue is no longer whether but how these technologies become part of our everyday lives: responsibly, transparently and safely. That is what the Research Center Trustworthy Data Science and Security of the Research Alliance Ruhr stands for.”

Research on secure and robust IT systems

RC Trust’s researchers develop secure and robust IT systems that remain reliable even when confronted with new data, disturbances or targeted attacks. Interdisciplinary teams also study when and why people trust AI and where the limits lie. They design applications that keep users in control and make decisions traceable, for example in digital health, public administration or education.

The teams examine the reliability of AI outputs, making uncertainties transparent and answering questions such as “How much can I trust answers from, for example, ChatGPT?” New methods also ensure that conclusions are robust and reproducible—a prerequisite for trustworthy decision-making in science, business and society.

Prof. Manfred Bayer, President of TU Dortmund University, highlighted what distinguishes the Ruhr region’s excellent research environment from other locations: “This center shows what’s possible when universities join forces instead of competing. Within the University Alliance Ruhr, we combine complementary strengths—and that cooperation is our real competitive edge in the global research landscape.”

Group photo: Standing in front of the RC Trust banner, from left to right, are RUB Rector Prof. Martin Paul, Parliamentary State Secretary Josef Hovenjürgen, RC Trust Director Prof. Nicole Krämer, and TU Rector Prof. Manfred Bayer. — Welcoming guests at the Grand Opening (from left): RUB President Prof. Martin Paul, Parliamentary State Secretary Josef Hovenjürgen, RC Trust Director Prof. Nicole Krämer, and TU President Prof. Manfred Bayer.

Successful development of the Research Alliance Ruhr

In 2021, the UA Ruhr founded the Research Alliance Ruhr to pool and expand its international top-level research. In addition to the Research Center “Trustworthy Data Science and Security”, the alliance comprises three further 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”. In total, around 50 new professorships are being created, two thirds of which have already been filled. The Research Alliance Ruhr was initiated by the state government’s Ruhr Conference and is funded by the Ministry of Culture and Science of North Rhine-Westphalia. Approximately €75 million were available for the set-up phase from 2022 to 2024. Since 2025, the state is permanently funding the Research Centers and the College with a total of €48 million per year.

To RC Trust