In good faith +

Cooperation and collaboration are keystones of science. Contemporary geopolitical factors, in particular a global increase of non-democratic and illiberal actors, threaten to erode these keystones. It is no longer enough, or safe, to cooperate or collaborate “in good faith”. This shift raises a consequential question: who decides where scientific cooperation begins and where it ends? In Germany, recent guidelines from the Federal Government and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) called for strategic approaches to secure academic freedom, foster scientific reflection and support knowledge transfer. De-risking, a softer alternative to de-coupling or severing ties, offers a way to maintain partnerships while guarding against competitors and systemic rivals.

Through case-by-case procedural review, it aims to prevent sensitive knowledge from being shared with agents who might use it for harmful ends. Yet these mechanisms are largely invisible. Their relative invisibility reflects the confidentiality inherent in effective security review. At the same time, institutions have a moral imperative to be (and remain) visible as bastions of knowledge and forums of intellectual exchange. At TU Darmstadt, this visibility is most clearly realized through institutional partnerships at the municipal, state, regional, federal, and international levels. These partnerships make the university’s commitments public and accountable, anchoring its international cooperation in open, shared relationships.