Post by Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)

“We need to become faster!” was the unanimous statement at a panel discussion at the HANNOVER MESSE featuring Professor Jan S Hesthaven, President of KIT. The discussion focused on Europe’s defense capabilities.   Under the title “How we build the industrial landscape we need”, representatives from universities, government, and industry exchanged their perspectives. There was broad agreement that Europe can no longer afford to lose time. Production capacities must be built up urgently, and Europe needs to become more independent—also from the United States.   Professor Hesthaven emphasized that, in his view, it is essential for research and industry to become more closely connected. No single actor can address the existing challenges alone. A great potential of universities lies in their innovative strength, their young people, and their innovators. Universities should move away from the separation between military and civilian research. In the United States, he noted, this distinction plays no significant role.   Hesthaven added that he sees a growing awareness of this shift within universities. However, it is important that participation in security-related research always remains voluntary. He also cautioned against focusing solely on military goods. Ensuring societal needs is equally crucial—for example, by safeguarding the functionality of supply chains. In this area as well, #KITKarlsruhe is a strong partner. Photo: Sandra Göttisheim, KIT