DeZIM lunch_discussion | Berlin as a Hub for Science

Between Competition, Cost-Cutting, and Social Responsibility

When: Wednesday, June 3, 2:00–3:00 p.m.
Where: Auditorium, DeZIM Institute, Mauerstraße 76, 10117 Berlin
  

Please register by 6:00 p.m. on June 1 here: REGISTRATION

Berlin is one of Europe’s most important centers of science and research. At the same time, tight public budgets, rising expectations, and international competition are fundamentally changing the operating environment for universities and research institutions. This makes it increasingly important to determine which policy priorities should be set for the future and how scientific excellence, social responsibility, and long-term stability can be reconciled. 

Within Berlin’s academic system, diverse demands are colliding. Large-scale research infrastructures require long-term investment and stable operating conditions. At the same time, universities face financial and organizational cutbacks. Research in the social sciences operates in an environment where public debates, political expectations, and societal polarization are having a greater impact on academic work. 

Non-university research institutions play a central role in this framework. They contribute significantly to Berlin’s scientific performance, technological innovation, and economic development. Networks such as BR50 highlight the importance of these institutions for Berlin as a research hub and its strategic development. 

At the same time, the question arises as to under what conditions science can remain socially effective. Institutions such as DeZIM operate at the intersection of research, the public sphere, and politics, highlighting how closely scientific work is linked today to social debates and political conditions. 

Against this backdrop, representatives from politics, universities, and non-university research will discuss the future of Berlin as a center of science and the conditions of scientific work in a time of growing financial, political, and social tensions. 

Key questions for the discussion: 

  • How attractive is Berlin currently as a hub for science, and where do the greatest challenges lie? 

  • What are the consequences of budget cuts and political prioritization for universities and research institutions? 

  • What role do non-university research institutions play in innovation, infrastructure, and international competitiveness? 

  • How can scientific excellence be combined with social responsibility and institutional stability? 

Participants: 

 

Moderator 

  • Prof. Dr. Naika Foroutan, Director of the German Center for Integration and Migration Research and Professor of Integration Research and Social Policy at Humboldt University of Berlin