The German science and research system faces a double challenge due to geopolitical tensions: on the one hand, security risks from espionage, cyber-attacks and knowledge leakage are increasing. On the other hand, the strategic importance of research and innovation for Germany's and Europe's foreign and security policy position is growing – especially in the field of dual-use technologies.
National Contact Point for Research Security
There is now broad consensus that a national contact point for research security should be established. This contact point would support research institutions in Germany in identifying, assessing and minimising security-related risks and serve as a central point of contact for advice, coordination and international networking. In addition, Germany's key partners are also intensifying the expansion of their security architectures and increasingly expressing the expectation that comparable standards will also be implemented in this country. In this respect, the protection of sensitive research is also a prerequisite for a solid basis of trust in international research cooperation. A central institution acting as a trustworthy partner would strengthen this basis of trust.
Disagreement over concept and design
However, there is disagreement about the concept and design of such a national contact point. Scientific organisations and universities welcome the idea in principle but warn against overregulation and the loss of academic freedom. They demand that the platform should not lead to a restriction of academic freedom and that the autonomy of research should be preserved. Stakeholders such as the German Research Foundation (DFG) emphasise the principle of ‘as open as possible, as protected as necessary’ and advocate practical solutions and the close involvement of the scientific community in the design process.
Stakeholder process
During the last legislative period, a stakeholder process involving representatives from academia, security authorities and industry was initiated with the aim of developing a suitable concept. However, this process stalled in the summer of 2025 and is currently being continued by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) with a smaller group of participants. However, the players are paralysing each other and the arguments seem to have been sufficiently exchanged. Ultimately, the question is where such a national contact point should be located and how much pressure there is on individuals, scientific institutions and research facilities to approach it with their projects.
Information from security authorities important for assessment
It is crucial that government information, especially that from security agencies, can also be included in the assessment of international research collaborations, which is why it makes sense to locate the national contact point at the BMFTR. At the same time, the assessment should be carried out independently of political influence, which means that a hybrid model combining centralised control by the relevant ministry with decentralised implementation by research institutions and funding agencies would be preferable. This would ensure that the relevant information can be provided while at the same time making it clear that the autonomy of science is preserved.
Do not slow down processes unnecessarily
The contact point should raise awareness of research safety through training courses and provide support in implementing risk management systems. At the same time, the contact point could also be used to monitor safety-related incidents in order to develop and update guidelines. Uniform and streamlined procedures for risk analysis and assessment are also crucial in order to avoid unnecessarily slowing down processes.
Safeguarding academic freedom in the long term
International cooperation fundamentally improves scientific discourse, and it is only through constant international exchange that research can improve and realise its innovative potential. At the same time, we can only protect our academic freedom if we safeguard it. With this in mind, it is now important to establish the national contact point for research security quickly in order to secure academic freedom in the long term.
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