03/19/2025

Shaping research policy for the future: Ecornet presents position paper

The future German government should base its research policy on a forward-looking and reliable research strategy that addresses current societal challenges and takes future developments into account. These and other recommendations were published today in a position paper by the Ecological Research Network, a network of leading sustainability and futurology institutes

The current diverse crises and change processes raise numerous, mostly complex questions. Science can make an important contribution to this. ‘It is therefore necessary for the new federal government to give science and research a special priority,’ emphasises Prof. Dr Flurina Schneider, Scientific Director of ISOE - Institute for Social-Ecological Research and co-spokesperson of Ecornet.

Focus support programmes more strongly on social cohesion, justice and social participation

Whether wars, increasing right-wing extremism, the energy transition or the development of resilient infrastructures - the challenges are huge. The Federal Government is faced with the task of developing solutions and shaping transitions in many areas at the same time. Research can help to answer complex questions and identify new approaches. To this end, social problems must be adequately addressed in funding programmes. In addition, aspects such as work, health, the ageing population and issues relating to the distribution of wealth and income need to be linked more closely to climate and sustainability issues in research programmes.

‘The German government's research policy must strengthen the scientific system in order to better identify knowledge about the major social challenges and develop customised social solution options,’ says Thomas Korbun, co-spokesperson of Ecornet and Scientific Director of the Institute for Ecological Economy Research (IÖW). The Ecornet believes that transdisciplinary and participatory research approaches are particularly suitable for researching open questions, breaking down complexity and making tried-and-tested, realisable solutions available to stakeholders in business, administration, civil society and politics. They should therefore be promoted more than in the past.

Creating a stable research framework

The Ecornet recommendations are also aimed at a broader understanding of innovation, transfer and science communication. Furthermore, the position paper emphasises that research needs secure and stable framework conditions. Research funding with streamlined application procedures, less bureaucracy in third-party funding administration and faster approvals contribute to this. Not least for this reason, the budget for 2025 should be adopted swiftly and the departments made capable of acting quickly.

Download Position paper "Positionspapier für eine zukunftsorientierte Forschungspolitik der künftigen Bundesregierung" (in German)