Security-Relevant Research in Academia - Debates, Definitions, and Best-Practices

Date: 5-6 November 2026
Location: Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Germany
Submission Deadline: 15 August 2026
Contact: [email protected]

Universities stand at the critical intersection of open inquiry and societal responsibility. The ongoing war in Ukraine has illustrated how rapidly scientific advances can be repurposed for conflict, raising the stakes for research touching on national security, cryptography, dual-use technologies, and emerging weapon systems. To address these challenges, we invite submissions for a conference dedicated to exploring the complex area of Security-Relevant Research (SRR) within higher-education institutions.

We seek contributions from scholars, administrators, ethicists, defense professionals, policy makers, and engineers/technology developers that examine the fundamental questions surrounding SRR. We are particularly interested in papers that address:

• Defining the boundaries: What qualifies as security-relevant research in the modern academic landscape?
• Institutional frameworks: What processes and structures should universities adopt to enable the responsible conducting of SRR?
• Researcher agency: What are the specific responsibilities of individual researchers regarding SRR?
• Funding and influence: How do contemporary funding structures and government contracts impact the visibility, scrutiny, and direction of SRR?

While advocates argue that academic freedom fuels innovation and that university-based research offers transparent, ethical alternatives to opaque military labs, critics warn of accelerating arms races, the exposure of students to dual-use dilemmas, and conflicts of interest with defense sponsors. This workshop aims to navigate these tensions, fostering a dialogue that balances innovation with ethical stewardship.

Submission Guidelines
We invite abstracts of 300–500 words (excluding references) that propose a paper for presentation. Submissions must include the author's name and affiliation. Please send your abstracts via email to [email protected] by 15 August 2026.

Presentation Format
Selected authors will be invited to present their work during the workshop. Each presentation will be allocated 20 minutes, followed by 10 minutes for Q&A and discussion.

Publication Opportunity
A primary goal of this workshop is to synthesize the insights, case studies, and draft guidelines generated during the event. Following the conference, all participants will be invited to submit their full manuscripts for consideration in a special issue dedicated to Security-Relevant Research in Academia. We will have more information about this in due time.

This conference is supported by BMFTR, as part of the "MilEth" project (Military Defense Technologies and Ethics).

Keynotes:
Michiel Bot (Tilburg University)
Lonneke Peperkamp (Radboud University Nijmegen & Netherlands Defense Academy)

Conference Organizers:

Scott Robbins — Post-Doctoral Researcher, KIT, ARRTI
Nathan Wood — Junior Research Group Leader, TUHH
Alexander Bagattini — Senior Researcher, KIT, ARRTI
Volker Gollnick — Professor, TUHH
Nico Brähler — Managing Director, ARRTI, KIT

KIT — TUHH