Luisa W. is studying for her master's degree, and has just come from class. But today's politics lecture was far from ordinary — the lesson was top secret, and held in a high-security building. Luisa is among the first generation of Germans to be enrolled in the Intelligence and Security Studies (MISS) master's degree program, jointly offered by the Federal University of Applied Administrative Sciences and the Bundeswehr University Munich. And, for obvious security reasons, she must keep her surname secret.

Before enrolling, Luisa contributed to various branches of Germany's foreign intelligence agency, working with the counterterrorism analysis team, in operations and with the agency's administration. Now, after 10 years of service, she's decided to take part in the MISS program.

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"I enjoy getting a break from my ordinary work and having time to think about different issues," she told DW. "I'm interested in the relationship between our intelligence agencies and German society." Her degree will include a range of courses, including one dedicated to intelligence analysis and another on cyber intelligence.

The MISS degree program is not open to just any applicant. Only individuals employed either by Germany's foreign intelligence agency, the military counterintelligence service, the domestic intelligence service or the armed forces may enroll. Police officers active in these fields, and civil servants working for ministries whose activities pertain to sensitive political and security issues, may also apply. To be admitted, students must undergo a thorough vetting process — as do lecturers.

Inside Germany's new spy HQ In the heart of Berlin Decorated with steel palm trees, the new BND headquarters sits right where the Berlin Wall used to bisect the city. The move signals a major symbolic change for Germany, no longer shying away from taking a prominent role on the global stage.

Inside Germany's new spy HQ Palatial grounds The limestone and aluminum-fronted complex covers 10 hectares (25 acres) and cost €1.1 billion ($1.25 billion). It is one of the world's largest secret service bases.

Inside Germany's new spy HQ The thing A huge monolith called "The Thing" (Das Ding) adorns the central courtyard of the new headquarters. The work was created by the Düsseldorf-based artist Stefan Sous, whose massive sculptures can be found in public squares thoughout Germany.

Inside Germany's new spy HQ A glimpse inside There are plans to open a visitors center at the new BND headquarters. This marks a massive shift for a populace that has long been suspicious of intelligence agencies, with memories of the Gestapo and the Stasi still alive. "A healthy distrust is helpful, but being overly suspicious is a hindrance," Chancellor Angela Merkel said at the opening.

Inside Germany's new spy HQ Keeping tabs on time The clock in the situation room shows the time in New York, London, Berlin, Moscow and Beijing. The building itself, however, did not open on time. A series of delays, mishaps and cost overruns. The inauguration in February 2019 came more than 12 years after construction began.

Inside Germany's new spy HQ The situation room Around 4,000 of the BND's 6,500 secret service agents work in the huge new building. Merkel stressed that Germany "needs a strong and efficient foreign intelligence service more than ever." International terrorism, global organized crime structures, as well as cybersecurity and nuclear proliferation are among the challenges the BND is looking to target. Author: Elizabeth Schumacher, Rob Turner



Sharing insights

The degree program was launched in January, with compulsory introductory courses for anyone without prior experience working for a German intelligence agency. Now that these preliminary courses are over, all students have arrived in Berlin where work on the actual master's program will take place.

"The students form a very heterogeneous group," said Jan-Hendrik Dietrich, head of the department. "There are really young students from the armed forces, just 22 or 23 years old. But there are also some from the intelligence agencies, who are very experienced and have worked on the threat posed by the extreme right-wing and left-wing." Dietrich said these groups enrich the learning experience by sharing their insights.

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The degree program was developed over the course of four years. Among other things, it aims to improve Germany's various intelligence services; cyberattacks and numerous fact-finding committees on the neo-Nazi National Socialist Underground (NSU) terror cell had revealed a range of serious weaknesses.

"This degree instills a set of values into students from different backgrounds, which can improve cooperation — especially when fighting terrorism," said Dietrich.

The victims of the neo-Nazi NSU murder spree 10 victims, 10 tragedies Nine of the 10 victims were of foreign heritage, but they had all made Germany their home when they were killed. The 10th victim was a German police officer. Every one of them was shot in cold blood.

The victims of the neo-Nazi NSU murder spree Enver Simsek On September 9, 2000, the florist Enver Simsek, pictured with his wife, was shot eight times. The 38-year-old father of two sold flowers near a small parking lot in the southern city of Nuremberg. Simsek, who migrated from Turkey to Germany in 1986, is believed to be the first murder victim in the NSU series of racially motivated killings.

The victims of the neo-Nazi NSU murder spree Abdurrahim Ozudogru Also in Nuremberg, Turkish-born tailor Abdurrahim Ozudogru was shot on June 13, 2001 in his alteration shop. He was 49 years old with a daughter who was 19 at the time of his murder.

The victims of the neo-Nazi NSU murder spree Suleyman Taskopru Later that month, on June 27, 2001 Suleyman Taskopru was shot dead in his father's fruit and vegetable shop in Hamburg. He was 31 years old and had a three-year-old daughter.

The victims of the neo-Nazi NSU murder spree Habil Kilic On August 29 of the same year, 38-year-old Habil Kilic, who was also a fruit and vegetable grocer, was killed in his shop in Munich. Like Taskopru, he was shot in the head. His wife and his 12-year-old daughter later left Germany.

The victims of the neo-Nazi NSU murder spree Mehmet Turgut Mehmet Turgut lived in Hamburg, but was visiting a friend in the eastern German city of Rostock and helping out at a Doner kebab fast food restaurant when he was shot on February 25, 2004. He was killed by three bullets to the head.

The victims of the neo-Nazi NSU murder spree Ismail Yasar Ismail Yasar was shot five times in his doner kebab restaurant in Nuremberg on June 9, 2005. A customer found him behind the counter. The 50-year-old had three children.

The victims of the neo-Nazi NSU murder spree Theodoros Boulgarides Just a few days later, on June 15, 2005, Theodoros Boulgarides was shot dead in Munich in his lock and key service shop. He was the only victim with Greek heritage. The 41-year-old father of two was the NSU's seventh murder victim.

The victims of the neo-Nazi NSU murder spree Mehmet Kubasik On a busy street at noon on April 4, 2006 in the western city of Dortmund, Turkish-born Mehmet Kubasik was killed by several shots to the head in his small convenience store. The 39-year-old left behind a wife and three children.

The victims of the neo-Nazi NSU murder spree Halit Yozgat In Kassel on April 6, 2006, Halit Yozgat was also shot in the head. He was killed in the internet cafe he ran with his father. Twenty-one years old, Turkish-born but with a German passport, Yozgat was taking night school classes to graduate from high school.

The victims of the neo-Nazi NSU murder spree Michele Kiesewetter Michele Kiesewetter, a 22-year-old police officer, was shot dead on April 25, 2007 in the southwestern city of Heilbronn. She was the NSU's 10th and final murder victim. Author: Iveta Ondruskova



Promoting inter-agency cooperation

Dietrich and his colleagues relied on international experts to help draw up the program. US and UK universities, after all, have been offering degree programs aimed at intelligence agency staff for decades. Their purpose is to build up a close-knit intelligence community and foster collaboration among different agencies.

"We want to train a cohort of critically thinking, reflective leaders, not yes-men who simply report what the government wants to hear," said Dietrich. Once students have completed the degree, Dietrich said they will be able to put their new skill sets to use and promote inter-agency cooperation.

Despite her previous experience, Luisa said the degree program's focus on cybersecurity has broadened her horizon. "I have little experience working in this area, so it's really useful understanding how data used for analysis is generated."

When she graduates after two years, she will return to the foreign intelligence agency and be part of Germany's brand new intelligence community. "So far, I've been a generalist, and that is what I will continue to be — though I will have a different position, and carry greater responsibility."

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