The topic of research security has taken on a new urgency in the wake of current debates about the “Zeitenwende” (turn of an era) in Germany and changing geopolitical conditions. Security policy interests require a responsible approach to research without jeopardizing the constitutional right to scientific freedom in Germany. The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) has developed a position paper in order to develop a new strategic approach to dealing with this issue. The content and implementation perspectives of the paper are now being discussed in a participatory process with stakeholders from science, industry and politics. Malte Göttsche from CNTR is involved in the process. A kick-off conference was held at the BMBF in Berlin on October 11.
The aim of the stakeholder process is to draw up a joint memorandum. Malte Göttsche is involved in the process of the working group “Sensitive/Critical Technologies and Civil and Military Research”.
The handling of security-relevant research is a dual-use issue and is one of the focus topics of CNTR's work. The first issue of the CNTR Monitor - Technology and Arms Control, which will be published in November, will be titled “Perspectives on Dual Use” and will discuss a.o. research security in the life sciences. In addition, Una Jakob is a member of the joint committee of the Leopoldina and the DFG on dealing with security-relevant research.