Claudia Eckert, innovation consultant to Chancellor Friedrich Merz, is advocating for clear regulations governing professors and universities engaged in sensitive technology fields, such as drone research, AI, and cybersecurity. Speaking to the “Handelsblatt”, the President of the Academy of Sciences (Acatech) stressed that stronger controls must be implemented for certain types of cooperation.
Eckert argues that it cannot be left up to individual faculty members to establish their own guidelines. She insists that universities, particularly technical universities, require differentiated courses of action tailored to the specific developmental stage of the research in various technology areas. This push comes in the wake of recent disclosures regarding collaborative research between German institutions and China.
The consultant maintains that raising security standards for research facilities is essential if companies, start-ups, and scientists are to collaborate more effectively in defense technologies and utilize the potential of security research. She acknowledges that academic freedom and educational freedom are sensitive issues. However, she pointed out that a professor traditionally only being responsible to themselves and their conscience is no longer adequate in the current climate.
One potential solution offered is to establish and rigorously examine clear rules regarding the allocation of funding before any monies are disbursed. According to Eckert, a cultural shift is necessary if the research pipeline-running from initial idea to final production-is to function effectively.
