Projects "almost doubled": Bavarian universities increasingly cooperate with the Bundeswehr

According to Science Minister Blume, numerous joint research projects have been conducted since Bavaria's universities were allowed to cooperate with the Bundeswehr. However, the majority of universities are not participating. The CSU politician is relaxed about a constitutional challenge.

Bavaria's Minister of Science, Markus Blume, believes the mandate for cooperation between universities and the Bundeswehr is effective. "The Free State of Bavaria isn't just talking about a turning point, it's actually implementing it," the 50-year-old said in an interview with "Spiegel." "Since the Bundeswehr Promotion Act came into force, 26 new research projects have been launched with the Bundeswehr – almost double the number," said the CSU politician.

For a year now, universities in Bavaria have no longer been allowed to limit their research to civilian use. According to Blume, a total of six of the 33 state universities cooperate with the Bundeswehr. However, he still sees potential there. The research projects deal with areas such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, robotics, and drone technology. "It's about future technologies, not technologies of war," Blume said.

The law stipulates that universities can be forced to conduct military research in an emergency. Critics accuse Bavaria's Minister of Science of restricting academic freedom. They are challenging the law before the Bavarian Constitutional Court.

Blume: "We must be prepared"

Blume said he viewed the lawsuit calmly. "The law expands the scope of action for science and does not restrict it." The clause that could oblige universities to cooperate in the interest of national security has not been applied so far. "But we must also be prepared for a defense situation," Blume said.

In an as yet unpublished position paper obtained by "Der Spiegel," the minister calls for advancing cooperation between the Bundeswehr and research throughout Germany. "Putin won't wait until the last civilian clause has been dropped," Blume said. Seven federal states stipulate that their higher education laws are geared toward peaceful coexistence, and more than 70 universities nationwide exclude military research. Blume advocates for the abolition of the clause.

In his paper and in the interview, Blume called for a revision of funding programs: "The funding bureaucracy prevents cooperation in many areas." He also advocated for research funding based on the US model.