To offset some of the major budget cuts they face, higher education institutions should focus more on defence research. This is according to Jos Benschop, of the AWTI advisory council.
An F35 fighter jet at Volkel airbase. (Photo: Berend Verheijen/Unsplash)
The Advisory Council for Science, Technology and Innovation (AWTI) has published a new report, titled ‘Knowledge offensive for Defence’. Until recently, current Education Minister Eppo Bruins was chair to this council of which TU Delft rector magnificus Tim van der Hagen was also a member between 2014 and mid-2022.
The premise of the report is simple: peace shouldn’t be taken for granted, and the Dutch defence budget has suffered from years of budget cuts. On top of that, we are facing new global threats, and the military is in desperate need of knowledge and innovation. Although the AWTI report does not discuss amounts, this new focus on defence presents a clear opportunity for higher education and research, according to AWTI council member Jos Benschop, who also serves as executive vice president of technology at chip machine manufacturer ASML.
Why are you issuing a recommendation on defence?
“For years, peace seemed self-evident, but the annexation of Crimea and the full-blown invasion of Ukraine have put security, conflict and war back on the agenda. The nature of conflicts has also been changing at a steady pace. When you thought of ‘war’ in the past, you mainly thought of tanks and planes, but now we’re also dealing with misinformation campaigns, subversion and sabotage. Meanwhile, increasingly sophisticated weapons are being developed. The threat we’re facing is more complex than before.”
‘I’m just happy to have a minister that is trying to make the best of it.’
And more money is being allocated to defence.
“The whole playing field is changing. Defence spending is on the rise across Europe, but not so long ago we thought we could sell all our tanks because we wouldn’t be needing them anyway. We were spending less and less on our security.”
Long-term budget cuts have led to a loss of knowledge and innovation capacity in the military, according to your report. How long will it take to repair this damage?
“That’s going to be a matter of many years. You can tear something down in a fraction of the time it took to build it. But it’s definitely possible. In our report, we cite an example from the US, where they’ve established an Office of Naval Research, which has built an academic network and looks for promising innovations.”
Your plea comes just as the government has announced major cuts to education and research. How do you feel about that?
“The AWTI has said time and again that you have to invest in the broad foundation of science in the Netherlands, because everything builds on that. But the Dutch people elect parliament, and parliament has given us this government – and its cuts to education and research.”
The person making those cuts happens to be the former chair of your council. Don’t you think that’s odd?
“Not really. You might say: how on earth can he propose these cuts? But mostly, I’m just happy that the person doing that job is trying to make the best of it.”
‘This way of looking at things will require a mental and cultural shift’
Universities probably aren’t very motivated to think about defence now that it’s all hands on deck due to the budget cuts.
“But it’s an opportunity. Looking at all the innovation grants being made available for defence across Europe, the Netherlands will undoubtedly follow suit. It’s not like we’re saying, ‘Here’s yet another task for you to worry about, just when you have to make cuts.’ No, we’re saying: pay attention – important things are happening in the world, and huge sums of money are being channelled towards defence. And some of that money will go to research and innovation.”
What about TU Delft?
The executive board of TU Delft is also keeping an eye on the innovation funds from Defence. In a meeting with the trade unions, board member Marien van der Meer said that “it is interesting to see what opportunities there are.” However, she added a caveat: “Although we do understand if people say that we should not get involved in this. We need to talk about it.”
The scientific community wants to be open and international, which is at odds with the secrecy required for defence research.
“The rules for research in this area are quite strict, so at first glance there might be a bit of a conflict with the ideal of open science. Defence research isn’t something you share with colleagues from around the world, but it is important. We’re calling for dialogue on these kinds of issues. In a way, our advice is very Dutch: we have to find a compromise.”
Open mind
The report states that knowledge institutions should be prepared “to keep an open mind about what regular scientific research might also be of military interest”. As examples, the AWTI cites areas such as AI and robotics, but also – given the subversion, misinformation and similar threats we currently face – media and communication studies, as well as language and cultural studies. “For many, this way of looking at things will require a mental and cultural shift.”
Earlier, you wrote about the hot topic of knowledge security – a term that is barely used in this report.
“Knowledge security is about the other side of the coin. Some research may have unintended military applications, and then you have to be careful about who has access to it.”
HOP, Bas Belleman
Translation: Taalcentrum-VU
HOP
Hoger Onderwijs Persbureau
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