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 PRIF 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. In the process, Malte Göttsche is involved in the working group “Sensitive/Critical Technologies and Civil and Military Research”. At PRIF, he heads the Research Group Science for Nuclear Diplomacy within the Cluster for Natural and Technical Science Arms Control Research (CNTR), which also deals with dual-use issues such as the handling of security-relevant research. The CNTR Monitor – Technology and Arms Control, which will be published in November, will be entitled “Perspectives on Dual Use” and will discuss issues such as research security in the life sciences. In addition, Una Jakob, also Head of Research Group at CNTR, is a member of the joint committee of the Leopoldina and the DFG on dealing with security-relevant research.