Research leaders warn of risks to science from security policies

Bad practices and protectionist approaches to dual-use science could undermine international collaborations, senior figures say

Science is at risk of being undermined by protectionist national policies and by countries using international students to bring back expertise for a competitive advantage, according to senior scientists.

Speaking on 23 May at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the director-general of Cern, Fabiola Gianotti, raised concerns over policies on dual-use science and technology, which have military as well as civilian applications. Earlier this month, the European Commission proposed tweaking EU rules on dual-use R&D against a backdrop of increasing international tension.