The climate-friendly new building of the Bundesimmobiliengesellschaft is the new location for cutting-edge research in the field of IT security at TU Graz.
The Bundesimmobiliengesellschaft (BIG) and TU Graz officially opened the Cybersecurity Campus Graz today, 7 April 2026, in the presence of Science Minister Eva-Maria Holzleitner. The new building on Campus Inffeldgasse offers 5,000 square metres of floor space with modern offices and laboratories for the Institute of Information Security at Graz University of Technology (TU Graz). The building also houses TU Graz’s Buildings and Technical Support and the COMET centre Battery4Life. Additional companies from the IT security and innovation sector will be added as tenants in the future. BIG, as the client, completed the Cybersecurity Campus Graz in a construction period of just one and a half years according to the plans of eep architekten ZT GmbH for an investment sum of around 25 million euros.
Eva-Maria Holzleitner, Federal Minister for Women, Science and Research: “Cyber security is no longer a niche topic, it affects us all. With the Cybersecurity Campus Graz, we are strengthening research in an area that is becoming increasingly important for our society and our economy and creating an internationally visible location for cutting-edge research. At the same time, our universities and research institutions themselves must also be better protected. That is why we are using the Cyber Resilience Plan to ensure that science and research can continue to work safely and freely in the future.”
Photovoltaics, wooden façade, geothermal energy and natural shading
The Cybersecurity Campus Graz consists of three parts, which are connected by a continuous floor on the first floor. The ground floor houses foyers, seminar rooms and lounge areas, while the upper floors provide offices and laboratories.
The building with its characteristic wooden façade is one of the most energy-efficient research buildings at TU Graz and relies on geothermal energy, photovoltaics and an ingenious concept with green roofs and infiltration surfaces in the surrounding area. Geothermal energy can cover around 65 per cent of the cooling capacity and around 75 per cent of the heating capacity.
The Cybersecurity Campus Graz was deliberately built around an almost hundred-year-old silver lime tree, which, together with 20 newly planted deciduous trees, provides the building with natural shade and gives it an architecturally interesting panache. As part of the construction work, 100 covered bicycle parking spaces were built for the campus.
Christine Dornaus, Managing Director of Bundesimmobiliengesellschaft (BIG): “Campus Inffeldgasse is already the largest location of TU Graz and continues to grow. At a time when data security is one of the key challenges, TU Graz is placing a special focus on research and teaching in this area. With the Cybersecurity Campus, which we are officially opening today, we are creating the ideal environment to meet this challenge. I would like to emphasise three architectural highlights: the building ensemble has a façade made of local spruce wood, was built around an almost hundred-year-old lime tree, which brings fresh greenery into the interior, and is heated and cooled using geothermal energy. Research and business will also work together in the CCG. I wish all researchers and students much joy and success in their new home.”
Horst Bischof, Rector of TU Graz: “TU Graz’s expertise in the field of IT security is visible worldwide. With the Cybersecurity Campus Graz, this outstanding research is now also visibly anchored in the research landscape of Styria. A unique innovation ecosystem is being created here, in which science and industry are coming together to form a leading centre for cyber security. This not only strengthens the international competitiveness of our location, but also trains future generations of sought-after cyber security experts who learn from and with the best in their field. I would like to thank the Federal Ministry for Women, Science and Research, BIG and everyone involved for the excellent cooperation and the impressive result.”
Manuela Khom, Deputy Governor of Styria: “Cybersecurity is now a key prerequisite for security and economic stability, and thus a strategic issue for the future of Styria and Europe. With the Cybersecurity Campus Graz, we are specifically strengthening research, education and innovation, while further consolidating our position as a leading location for research and innovation. At the same time, we are making an important contribution to Europe’s digital sovereignty and sending a strong signal for the future of our region.”
Leading international research in the field of cyber security
Around 80 people at the Institute of Information Security are currently dedicated to key IT security topics, from cryptography, secure applications and system designs to trustworthy artificial intelligence. Research results such as the discovery of the Meltdown and Spectre security vulnerabilities or the international encryption standard for lightweight cryptography ASCON developed at the institute emphasise the international importance of this TU Graz research focus. This also applies to the three ERC grants that researchers at the institute have been able to acquire in recent years.
Stefan Mangard, Head of the Institute of Information Security at TU Graz: “The new building will enable us to further expand our research and teaching in the field of IT security. A new research group in the field of cyber security and artificial intelligence will be added in September.”
TU Graz offers a wide range of IT degree programmes, with a focus on the forward-looking field of cyber security. Students acquire sound technical expertise and work on real-life IT security challenges in a practical way. The student teams at TU Graz make a special contribution here, developing innovative solutions in international competitions and regularly achieving success. This close link between teaching, research and teamwork makes TU Graz a central training location for the next generation of IT security experts, who are in high demand on the job market.
Video tour of the Cybersecurity Campus Graz: https://www.tugraz.at/en/news/article/tour-of-the-cybersecurity-campus-graz