Exportkontrolle / Operate

Freedom of Research and Responsibility

The University of Bayreuth is committed to the freedom of science, research, and teaching as guaranteed by Article 5(3) of the German Basic Law. Academic freedom and international scientific cooperation are essential prerequisites for scientific progress, innovation, and societal development.

This freedom also entails responsibility. The University supports its members in complying with legal requirements and promotes the responsible management of research-related risks. In this context, the professional judgment and personal responsibility of researchers are of central importance.

The University of Bayreuth´s Commitment to Export Control Hide

The University of Bayreuth´s Commitment to Export Control

Export Control and Scientific Responsibility at the University of Bayreuth Hide

“... arts and sciences, research and teaching shall be free.” With these words, Article 5(3), first sentence, of the Basic Law establishes a liberal right to freedom that is not subject to an express statutory limitation. It guarantees both an individual right and an objective institutional guarantee. Research, the freedom to conduct research and the ability to build global networks for that purpose are indispensable to our social, cultural, political and economic resilience, as well as to progress. Within the scope of Article 5(3), first sentence, of the Basic Law, any subject may therefore be researched in principle, unless competing constitutional law requires otherwise. The University of Bayreuth is keenly aware of the responsibility associated with this freedom and with the importance of research to society as a whole. In our view, responsible conduct in compliance with the rules is the foundation of free research. The University of Bayreuth and all its members are committed to this principle.

Legal limits on research arise in particular from provisions that restrict freedom of research, where proportionate, in order to protect values that enjoy equal constitutional protection. Such provisions may also govern the transfer of knowledge, services and items to specific countries. To ensure compliance, the University of Bayreuth provides the necessary organisational framework. This includes administrative mechanisms for complying with legal requirements and appropriate awareness-raising among members of the University. In many cases, compliance with the law requires a subject-specific assessment that only the researchers themselves can make. Researchers’ personal responsibility is therefore an important element of effective export compliance.

Alongside legally binding requirements, ethical standards also apply, particularly in the field of security-relevant research, and the University of Bayreuth is equally committed to observing them. We follow the recommendations on ethically responsible research published by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina under the title “Scientific Freedom and Scientific Responsibility”, as well as the Max Planck Society’s guidelines and rules on the responsible handling of freedom of research and research risks. In line with these guidelines and recommendations, the University of Bayreuth established the remit of its Research Ethics Committee in 2017 to include, in particular, research projects involving so-called dual-use research of concern.

University of Bayreuth Basic Training Video on Export Control Hide

watch the video on Youtube

Links to Relevant Laws, EU Regulations and Embargo Provisions (including the AWG, AWV and EU Dual-Use Regulation) Hide

The following official sources provide current legal texts and information on embargo provisions:

Foreign Trade and Payments Act (AWG), Foreign Trade and Payments Ordinance (AWV), and EU Dual-Use Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2021/821) You can find the link to the German laws on the German website.
Control lists and classification information (German only)
Russia embargo
Iran embargo

Guidance and Training Materials on Export Control in Academia Hide

Guidance and training materials on export control in academia:

Guidance on Responding to Inquiries from the Federal Foreign Office Hide

Guidance on Responding to Inquiries from the Federal Foreign Office Regarding Visiting Researchers and Doctoral Candidates (German only)

Business Travel Hide

Business travel guidance (forthcoming)
Travel laptops and iPhone SE: ITS guidance. Request via ITS-Security@uni-bayreuth.de

University Governing Board Information on Export Control Hide

Information for Professors (letter from the University Governing Board dated 26 March 2025) (German only)

Operate

OPERATE – safeguarding science Hide

The DLR Project Management Agency has developed an application designed to make research cooperation with international partners more secure. OPERATE helps researchers assess the opportunities and risks associated with their cooperation more effectively and make informed decisions with greater confidence.

Based on the responses provided, OPERATE generates an opportunities and risks matrix. The matrix provides an immediate overview of whether participants rate the opportunities and risks as high or low. The group can then develop a shared understanding and agree on measures to increase opportunities, reduce risks and make informed decisions.

Access to the creation of assessment panels in OPERATE is restricted. Registration is available to persons who conduct opportunity and risk assessments at higher education institutions and research organisations, such as senior researchers and administrative staff. The DLR Project Management Agency provides support with this process.

Additional information:

Webmaster: Oliver Gschwender