Forensics lecture provides insights into the investigation of cold cases

All interested parties are invited to attend free of charge in the large lecture theatre at the university's main campus in Cottbus, Konrad-Zuse-Straße 4. Registration is not required.

Former Director of Criminal Investigation Karsten Bettels is head of the International Cold Case Analysis Project (ICCAP), which was initiated in 2020. He teaches at the police academy in Lower Saxony and uses real cold case cases to teach students approaches and techniques of criminal work. While in the past the focus was on investigation methods with a different technical standard, today new analytical procedures and the possibilities of digitalisation can be used.

Moderator: Dr Dirk Marx
Programme Coordinator Forensic Sciences and Engineering at BTU

On the trail of past clues - insight into the investigative work of "cold cases"
Date: Friday, 19. December 2025, 17:30 to 19:00
Location: Large lecture theatre at the BTU main campus, Konrad-Zuse-Straße 4, 03046 Cottbus

Organised by the Centre for Continuing Education and the Forensic Sciences and Engineering Master's programme at BTU.

About the Forensic Sciences and Engineering study programme
The Forensic Sciences and Engineering study programme, which leads to a Master of Science degree, is unique in Germany as an extra-occupational continuing education course at BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg. The seminars in the forensic science study programme focus on crime scene work, investigative procedures and the evaluation of evidence as well as its analysis in the context of its successful use in court.
The programme is a transdisciplinary academic course at BTU. Forensic knowledge, which can also be used by examiners in the private sector, also characterises the teaching programme. Overall, forensic science is facing new challenges: The pace of methodological, technical and scientific developments is characterised by digitalisation, new international and European trends, which are pushing law enforcement authorities and examiners, who have so far mostly acted nationally, to their limits.
Forensic Sciences and Engineering at BTU is taking on these challenges and is expanding its teaching profile from the winter semester 2025/2026 by offering specialisation certificates in fire investigation, handwriting, white-collar crime and the special area of chemical and biological substances. People who do not have the prerequisites for a Master's degree programme are nevertheless given the unique opportunity to continue their university education in these specialist areas.

The flyer for the lecture series:
https://www-docs.b-tu.de/fg-umweltrecht/public/Forensik/2025_2026/For_Flyer_Ringvorl_2025_V01.pdf