Presentation of the CNTR Monitor 2024 in Political Berlin

26. Nov 2024

Project team in dialogue with stakeholders on dual-use topics

The first issue of the CNTR Monitor – Technology and Arms Control was published on November 21. The new publication, entitled “Perspectives on Dual Use”, summarizes the cluster's research findings and provides recommendations for dealing with new technologies and developments in the natural sciences. As part of the multi-format transfer strategy, discussions with stakeholders from politics, academia, civil society and the media took place in Berlin on the two days of the launch.

Group of people standing in room, some are holding up the CNTR Monitor — Launch of the CNTR Monitor at the Federal Foreign Office

The official launch of the CNTR Monitor took place on November 21 at the Federal Foreign Office, which made the creation of the cluster possible with initial funding for four years. CNTR researchers explained the most important findings from the newly published report on the topics of artificial intelligence, drones, additive manufacturing, biology and biotechnology. In the discussion that followed, representatives of departments, heads of division and advisors from the Federal Foreign Office were able to ask questions and comment. In the spirit of a dialogical knowledge transfer, the aim was on the one hand to present results and on the other hand to take up impulses for the further research work of CNTR.

Group of people standing in front of the German Federal Foreign Office

On Friday morning, the CNTR team invited people from research, professional practice, civil society, politics and the media to a networking breakfast in the atrium of the Leibniz Association building. In addition to a brief introduction of the monitor and the researchers involved with their topics, the event provided plenty of space for focused and informal discussions in small groups.

Prof. Malte Göttsche standing at high table holding up a blue book with the title CNTR Monitor Perspectives on Dual Use

Several small groups of people stand at high tables in an atrium

The virtual meeting with the Department for Research Security and Investment Review of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research focused on the topics of research security and the handling of security-relevant research. The focus of the CNTR Monitor 2024 on the topic of dual use in research and development is relevant to the stakeholder process currently being managed by the BMBF on the topic of research security, in which CNTR co-speaker Prof. Dr. Malte Göttsche is also involved. Dr. Una Jakob is also a member of the Joint Committee of the DFG and Leopoldina on dealing with security-relevant research.

Group of people sitting at a table all looking in the same direction in front of CNTR and PRIF roll-ups — CNTR researchers during the virtual meeting with the Department for Research Security and Investment Review of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research

The two-day program concluded with a meeting with the Arms Control, OSCE, Arms Export and Arms Export Control Division of the Federal Ministry of Defense. From drones to artificial intelligence and biotechnology, the focus was particularly on security issues and starting points for arms control, such as the use of new technologies in verification.

Group of people standing in courtyard — CNTR researchers meeting with the Arms Control, OSCE, Arms Export and Arms Export Control Division of the Federal Ministry of Defense

The CNTR project team thanks all the discussion partners for their interest and productive exchange over the past few days.

The CNTR Monitor 2024 “Perspectives on Dual Use” is an open access publication published in German and English. It can be read and downloaded at monitor.cntrarmscontrol.org.

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