Review

As part of My Karlsruhe Talks, KIT members, citizens, and students came together on June 28, 2026, to discuss the topic “Dual Use – Military Research at Universities?” The target of the course was to bring together different perspectives and foster an open, respectful exchange.

Due to the high summer temperatures, the course was moved at short notice to air-conditioned indoor spaces, and popsicles were provided for additional refreshment. This allowed participants to engage in conversation with one another in a pleasant atmosphere despite the unusual weather conditions.

Following a brief thematic introduction by Prof. Dr. Dr. Rafaela Hillerbrand, participants anonymously completed a digital questionnaire distributed via a QR code. They were then paired, using matching software, with individuals who held different viewpoints on the topic. During the approximately 45-minute one-on-one conversations, a lively exchange took place, featuring engaging discussions, new food for thought, and the opportunity to reflect on one’s own perspective and better understand how others view the topic.

Conclusion

The event concluded with a group discussion in which participants shared their experiences from the dialogues and discussed key insights. At the beginning, participants had expressed some uncertainty about whether they would be able to strike up a conversation with a stranger. After the discussions, however, the feedback was consistently positive: Many were enthusiastic about the exchange and hoped the format would be repeated. It also became clear that their own perspectives and views were often closer to one another than they had initially assumed.

The multilingual format offered in German, English, and French enabled participants with different linguistic backgrounds to actively participate in the conversations and enrich the course with their perspectives.

Together, we transformed the Triangel into a vibrant space for dialogue.

For those Interested

The following arguments for and against military research at universities were presented in the thematic input and were intended to serve as food for thought for the participants:

Pro	Contra
Defending Democratic Societies: Military research can contribute to security and defense capabilities.	Risk of Harm: Military research can directly contribute to the development of weapons and facilitate the use of violence.
Dual-use Nature: Many technologies have both civilian and military applications (e.g., the Internet, GPS, satellite technology, AI, materials).	Loss of Scientific Openness: Security and confidentiality regulations can run counter to the ideal of open science.
Academic Freedom: Researchers should, as a matter of principle, be free to investigate issues related to security as well.	Trust Issues: Universities are often viewed as places of peaceful knowledge production.
Responsibility to the State: Publicly funded universities can be viewed as part of the social infrastructure.	Path Dependencies: Military funding can influence research agendas in the long term.