Dirk Heckmann

Prof. Dirk Heckmann is a Professor at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), holding dual affiliations with the TUM School of Social Sciences and Technology and the TUM School of Computation, Information and Technology. His research focuses on data protection law, IT security law, e-government, and legal informatics. He completed his legal studies at the University of Trier and earned his habilitation from the University of Freiburg. Before joining TUM in 2019, he held a professorship at the University of Passau.

Prof. Heckmann is a part-time constitutional judge at the Bavarian Constitutional Court since 2003. He has served on key national committees, including the Federal Ministry of Transport’s Ethics Commission on Autonomous and Connected Driving and the Federal Government’s Data Ethics Commission. He also serves as an ambassador for consumer interests at the Bavarian Center for Digitalization and directs the Bavarian Research Institute for Digital Transformation (bidt).

His research interests emphasize humane digital transformation aligned with public welfare. Notable areas include cybersecurity compliance, AI ethics, and legal frameworks for digital health data. His work bridges legal theory with practical regulatory challenges, addressing emerging technologies like generative AI and autonomous systems.

Prof. Heckmann’s publications span foundational legal commentaries, policy analyses, and interdisciplinary studies. Key works include Praxiskommentar Internetrecht (2024) and contributions to the EU Cyber Resilience Act. He advocates for evidence-based policymaking and interdisciplinary collaboration to shape effective digital governance.

His professional activities include advising on digital health data policies, e-government reforms, and platform regulation. He emphasizes the need for adaptive legal frameworks to balance innovation with societal and ethical considerations.