DFG Senate working group publishes new position paper offering guidance and recommendations

Recent developments in Germany and other countries have shown that academic freedom cannot be taken for granted. Against this backdrop, a DFG Senate working group has examined how resilient the German research ecosystem is to attacks on individual researchers, institutions, disciplines and research as a whole, and the measures that can be taken to strengthen this resilience. The paper aims to provide as broad and comprehensive a mapping of the issues as possible, thereby establishing a basis for identifying opportunities for coordination and potential courses of action for researchers and institutional stakeholders alike. As such, it is intended as a starting point for further action.

Structure of the paper

The paper is structured into four sections. The first examines the motives underlying attacks on academic freedom and the various forms these attacks may take, ranging from attempts to delegitimise individual fields of research to systematic efforts to influence research institutions. The second identifies structural vulnerabilities within the German research ecosystem, including individual risks arising from relationships of dependency and excessively short-term employment contracts, shortcomings in science communication and critical reflection within the research community, and the vulnerability of key research infrastructures. The third section outlines the favourable framework conditions in Germany on which a resilient research ecosystem can build, while the fourth – and central – section sets out a series of concrete recommendations for action. It distinguishes between measures designed to strengthen resilience and prevent future threats, on the one hand, and a range of instruments for responding to specific attacks and threats, on the other.

Consequences for research institutions and researchers

In keeping with the paper’s key message that resilience begins within the research ecosystem itself, research institutions and organisations are encouraged to review their statutes and decision-making procedures to identify potential vulnerabilities to misuse and to reform these where necessary. They are also encouraged to improve employment conditions for researchers at early career stages by ensuring longer contract periods and transparent pathways to permanent positions, to establish local support structures and points of contact for crisis situations, and to contribute to discussions around the collective commitment to provide mutual support for research groups facing threats. In addition, the paper argues that broad alliances should be forged between the research community and other sectors of civil society.

Researchers are encouraged to engage actively in critical reflection on the nature of the research process and effective science communication. By communicating research findings, uncertainties and controversies openly, honestly and with due regard for complexity, the research community can strengthen public trust while becoming better equipped to counter attacks on individual disciplines through a well-founded understanding of the nature of scholarly and scientific inquiry. At the same time, researchers should be fully aware of the legal avenues available to them. The constitutional protection of academic freedom provides a robust legal basis for defence against unwarranted restrictions, underscoring the importance of readily accessible legal expertise. Equally vital is practical solidarity. By building and maintaining strong networks, the research community can better withstand divide-and-rule strategies and respond swiftly and collectively whenever academic freedom or individual researchers are placed at risk.

Further Information 

See here for the full text of the “Position Paper on Strengthening the Academic Freedom and Resilience of Research”: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20830204(externer Link)