PUBLISHER OF THIS ISSUE: GERMAN ACADEMIC EXCHANGE SERVICE KENNEDYALLEE 50 // 53175 BONN (GERMANY) Strengthening International Academic Cooperation An Introduction to the Centre for International Academic Cooperation (KIWi) DUZ SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO DUZ // MAGAZINE FOR SCIENCE AND SOCIETY

PREFACE I 3 PROF. JOYBRATO MUKHERJEE President of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) DEAR READERS, International academic cooperation is more important than ever. The global challenges facing us today can only be solved through cooperation across borders and based on sound aca- demic knowledge. Research and innovation are dependent on economic growth and social development. In the context of the ‘Zeitenwende’, the turning point declared by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, international academia is also taking on an increasingly important role as a ba- sis and prerequisite for achieving technological sovereignty and national security. Funded by the German Federal Government, the DAAD supports academic exchange through its funding activities and advisory services. It also offers opportunities for German higher education institutions and academics to network with partners all over the world. By establishing the Centre for International Academic Cooperation (KIWi), the DAAD has created a central contact point to support German higher education institutions in initiating and implementing their international activities. To achieve this, KIWi draws on the extensive expertise of the DAAD, its global network and its partner universities to provide given stakeholders with region- and topic-specific knowledge, together with practical recommendations for action. KIWi accordingly acts as a driving force, actively shaping the dialogue on foreign academic policy issues. This provided the backdrop for establishing KIWi in 2019 on the recommendation of the German Science and Humanities Council (Wissenschaftsrat). From the very beginning, one of its thematic focal points has been advising on the issues of risks and security that may arise in international collaborations. Risks and opportuni- ties are always identified, analysed and assessed on a case-by-case basis in individual consultations and in handouts such as the KIWi Compass “No Red Lines”. In this way KIWi brings expertise and a guiding perspective from its exchange background to the German academic system and contributes to the opportunity-oriented and secure organisation of international cooperation. It will be possible to further develop and expand KIWi’s pro- grammes in the coming years thanks to continued funding by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research and ongoing support from the Federal Foreign Office. In this special supplement to the DUZ magazine, we present the subject areas and formats in which KIWi’s experts deliver information and advice. We hope you find it a stimulating read and look forward to exchanging ideas with you! We live in an increasingly complex environment for interna- tional academic cooperation, one that is often indivisible from geopolitical conflict and crises. Prof. Joybrato Mukherjee

INTRODUCING KIWi I 5I 5 Providing expertise, advising and networking are the central fields of activity of the DAAD Centre for International Academic Cooperation (KIWi), which was established in 2019 and has since continuously expanded its services for German higher education institutions. The framework for international academic cooperation is becoming increasingly complex. Alongside disciplinary, institutional and regional contexts, political and legal con- texts are gaining in significance. Recognising this, the DAAD has established KIWi as an advisory centre for the German higher education system. The ongoing goal is to support higher education institutions and individual academics in strategically and responsibly organising international cooperation projects from a foundation of expertise. KIWi is part of the Strategy Department in the “Knowledge Exchange and Network” Division within the DAAD, acting as an interface between the DAAD’s external network, the individual departments at the Bonn Head Office and the DAAD’s partner universities. “This is precisely what allows us to pool internal and external knowledge and deliver it to the universities,” emphasises Benedikt Brisch, Head of Division. The DAAD’s global presence with some 60 office locations worldwide is of crucial importance in integrating up-to-date information from abroad into its advisory work. “Thanks to our Regional Offices and Information Centres, excellent local networks exist within the academic systems. These uniquely complement our own expertise on legal framework conditions or research security issues,” explains Brisch. He continues, “Our unique selling point is our international network knowledge that no other organisation possesses.” Moreover, experience and practical knowledge of the DAAD’s funding departments – which support a large number of international cooperation projects between German higher education institutions – are systematically incorporated into the Centre’s expertise. KIWi’s continuous dialogue with the DAAD’s member universities is also of central importance.

INTRODUCING KIWi I 7 and between national and international partners. The aim is always to bring together relevant stakeholders, share ex- periences and practical knowledge and strengthen expertise and regional competence. Formats for exchange and networking KIWi Connect is a regular event format. Alongside specialist presentations on various subject areas, the focus here lies on peer-to-peer exchanges of experience: Universities present solutions to specific cooperation issues, which ideally can also be transferred to other institutional contexts. Targeted matchmaking is also supported by events held in the KIWi Connect format. Participants are given the opportunity to compare research interests and to network with potential partners from a selected region. This allows KIWi to meet a need that is also reflected in the consulting practice. “Although our services are aimed at German higher education institutions, we also regularly receive enquiries from foreign universities that are searching for partners in Germany. We try to bring both sides together with matchmaking events,” explains Dr. Claudia Nospickel, co-head of KIWi along with her colleague, Sakine Weikert. The high-profile KIWi Policy Talks represent a further firmly established event format offered by the Centre, and they provide a forum that focuses on foreign academic policy issues. Here, representatives from the world of academia come together with stakeholders from the world of politics to discuss current issues where academic cooperation and foreign policy overlap. The forums cover topics such as science diplomacy, cooperation with partner countries under complex framework conditions and geopolitical implications for international academic cooperation. The KIWi Lab format offers a protected space for exploring new topics and gaining a feel for current challenges that may arise in practical cooperation projects. It provides a confidential setting in which stakeholders from science and academia can address sensitive issues, such as the risks of collaboration, make assessments and discuss possible solutions. Visits to universities, which serve to engage in dialogue with the relevant on-site internationalisation stakeholders, are a new format that expands KIWi’s individual advising services. On the one hand, these half or full day events – with a focus on a specific topic or region serve to transfer KIWi’s knowledge and expertise at the university itself. On the other hand, they also bring together the different perspectives of academics, university administrators and university management and promote dialogue between the university stakeholders involved in the cooperation. This offer, currently in its pilot phase, has been well re- ceived by the universities, as Dr. Ingrid Thaler, Director of the International Office at South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences, confirms: “We received comprehensive support and enjoyed close contact following the visit to our campus in Soest, during which detailed questions about the legal framework were discussed and an appointment arranged with a DAAD branch office. This impressed us greatly and assisted us in deciding on the approach we wanted to take ourselves.” This was preceded by the university’s decision to realign its international strategy. The university management and International Office staff therefore took advantage of the KIWi counselling service – initially via virtual meetings, then between January and June 2023 on-site at the university in Iserlohn. The focus was primarily on topics such as target regions, transnational education, international teaching and the dual degree programme planned by the university with a partner institution in the USA. Dr. Thaler particularly appreciated the KIWi team’s ability to focus on the specific framework conditions and the requirements of universities of applied sciences: “I highly recommend KIWi’s outside perspective, combined with comprehensive advice on the many facets of internationalisation and how these fit in with one’s own university’s requirements.” KIWi fully intends to further explore this on-site advising approach, in the form of in-house seminars, over the next few years. The first pilot events under the “KIWi Inhouse” category have already taken place in cooperation with the International DAAD-Academy (iDA) and were met with a very positive response.

INTRODUCING KIWi I 9 I 9 TARGET GROUPS Higher education management, international offices, university administrations, research institutions and academics Regions Topics Sound regional expertise on higher education systems worldwide Research, Innovation, Transfer Matchmaking and International Networks Risks and Security Legal Frameworks Science Diplomacy Individual sessions Contact form: daad.de/kiwi-kontakt Hotline: 0228 882 9 882 (Tues., Wed., Fri., 10:00–12:00) daad.de/en/kiwi Publication formats KIWi Compass KIWi Impuls DAAD Globus Event formats KIWi Policy Talk KIWi Connect KIWi Lab KIWi in-house planned

INTRODUCING KIWi I 11 Responsibility for designing and implementing university partnerships lies with the scientific community. Freedom of science is protected by our constitution. To be able to fulfil this responsibility, universities and individual scientists alike need expertise on the aforementioned political, legal and practical framework conditions, as well as region-specific knowledge of conditions and opportunities for academic cooperation. This is precisely where KIWi comes in. At the latest since the “turning point”, the so called “Zeitenwende”, proclaimed by Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz, science has become part of the national security strategy. How does the DAAD position itself in this area of tension between academic freedom and political constraints? I wouldn’t call it political constraints. It is true that science and international academic cooperation make an important contribution to national security. This is not only about the essential contribution that science makes to solving global challenges such as climate change or energy and food security. The social, political and economic development of Germany is also significantly shaped by its scientific performance and competitiveness. For me, however, this does not imply any kind of appropriation of science by political interests and regulations. Rather, the freedom of science, the opportunity for exchange and cooperation, is the basis for its performance. Nevertheless, there is, of course, another side to the security policy relevance of science. Unwanted knowledge drain, the military use of civilian research (dual use) and threats to research security and integrity pose concrete risks that are also relevant to security policy, especially in cooperation with partners who do not share the same rule-of-law principles and democratic values as we do. Cooperation with China is certainly the most prominent example here. At the beginning of 2024, we published a DAAD policy paper on cooperation with China that puts forward recommendations for German universities. We advocate an interest-oriented, risk-reflec- tive and competence-based approach. I believe that these principles can also be applied to comparable cooperation constellations. The aim is always to enable scientific cooper- ation while consciously dealing with possible risks. You bring with you experience from Colombia, a country that was off-limits to German universities as a cooperation partner for a number of years. What did the DAAD do to ensure that contact with Colombian scientific partners was not broken off entirely? When I was in Colombia for the first time in 1999 as a DAAD scholarship holder, the security situation there was very tense. Nevertheless, the DAAD and the University of Mainz, where I was studying at the time, supported the exchange with the Colombian partner university, the Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá. Other German universities took a similar approach and, despite all the obstacles, did not completely cut off cooperations. These experiences show that maintaining co- operations even under difficult conditions create a long-term, trusting basis that enables us to survive difficult times and to be ready for new things when they are over – as was the case when the peace agreement between the guerrilla organisation FARC and the Colombian government was concluded in June 2016. It was no coincidence that the German government was explicitly asked in the peace treaty to support the peace process with its expertise. One concrete result of this is the German-Colombian Peace Institute CAPAZ... ... whose work is now regarded as a global model when it comes to dialogue between parties in conflict. Yes, the peace institute is a beacon and model project for functioning science diplomacy on several levels: it contributes to mediation between stakeholders at the national level in Colombia through scientific expertise and advice, and at the same time is an important pillar of scientific and political cooperation at the international level – between Germany and Colombia. Why do research institutions and their stakeholders ap- parently find it ‘easier’ to deal with crises than the official political level? Research operates with a longer-term perspective; it is – to draw a direct comparison with politics – not dependent on legislative periods. This alone implies a certain crisis resilience. Research also has its own rules, standards and procedures that cannot be directly controlled by political interests. Furthermore, scientists usually work in individual networks that are generally very stable and have long-term effects. When conflicts come to a head at the political level, such networks can, in the best case, be used to keep communi- cation channels open. We need structures that are resilient in times of crisis. Scientific cooperation is therefore particularly important in times when conflict constellations are inten- sifying, and political relations are coming under pressure.

INTRODUCING KIWi I 13 “We contacted KIWi regard ing the new legal requirements for academic cooperation with Japan and Australia. In both cases, KIWi not only provided in-depth expertise, but also estab lished contact with the local DAAD Information Centres and German Embasies. We also very much appreciate the fact that the infor- mation provided by KIWi is continuously tai lored to the specific needs of our universities through formats such as KIWi Lab.” Christina Timpernagel, Deputy Head of Section, International Outbound Mobility, University of Bonn “The in-house seminar on risks and security in interna- tional academic collaborations that KIWi held at our university, gave us important impetus to further develop our risk management processes for international cooperations and partnerships. We took a lot from the experts’ presentations. Particularly, the hands-on approach allows to implement the findings at our university and adapt them to our circumstances.” Prof. Thomas Fetzer, Vice-President for Strategic Planning, Internationalization and Equal Opportunity, since 01.10.2024, President of the University of Mannheim “We derive enor- mous benefit from KIWi’s expertise and would be pleased to approach KIWi again as we take the next steps in our German-Chinese cooperation.” Prof. Ulf Kahlert, Head of the Department of Molecular and Experimental Surgery, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg

INTERNATIONAL ACADEMIC COOPERATION IN THE CONTEXT OF THE ‘ZEITENWENDE’ I 15 Is science diplomacy no longer possible when – as with Russia’s war against Ukraine – relations between states are completely frozen? Yes, it still is! This is the moment of truth for skilful science di- plomacy. The Alliance of Science Organisations in Germany has responded to Russia’s illegal attack on Ukraine by suspending cooperation with Russian state institutions – in line with the policy of the German Government. The science organisations have thus also used their relations to express disapproval and condemnation of Russia’s actions. But it is also true that there is no ban on remaining in scientific and cultural contact with Russian civil society. The Goethe-Institut is still present there, and Russian students and scientists continue to receive funding in Germany, although naturally not those who are associated with the Putin regime. Has the Zeitenwende (epochal turning point) changed the definition and role of science diplomacy at the Federal Foreign Office? One of the charms of science diplomacy is that it’s about creating a sense of commitment from person to person. When archaeologists have spent four weeks together at the same excavation site, this usually creates credibility and trust. This is how bridges can be built at the non-governmental level that can outlast the vicissitudes of political disputes. Sometimes these relationships also open doors between states that have had problems with each other. At the same time, the question of the responsibility of science arises. Apart from the extreme case of Russia, there are many other countries whose social order we do not agree with. Nevertheless, there can be cooperation among researchers. The Federal Foreign Office supports science diplomacy. But this exists alongside sanctions and restrictions that are brought about by nation states and their actions. Doesn’t this risk politicising science and patronising scientists? „ONE OF THE CHARMS OF SCIENCE DIPLOMACY IS THAT SON TO PERSON.“ IT’S ABOUT CREATING A SENSE OF COMMITMENT FROM PER- No, the turning of an era is very real, also with regard to science diploma- cy. International relations do not always function peacefully, with a trend towards international understanding. Therefore, inter- national scientific relations can also not take place in a vacuum. For us, it is part of science diplo- macy that we will reduce relations with a country that defines itself in opposition to us and endangers our security interests. In doing so, we are defending the principles of our Basic Law, which enshrines academic freedom in Article 5. Science does not exist in a vacuum. Researchers in other countries who actively advocate for the freedom of their work often risk their careers by doing so. Insisting on the freedom of science and research, which is precisely what we do with science diplomacy, is inherently political. If we have scientific relations with countries in which academic freedom does not exist, or where no distinction is made between civilian and military research, then we will and must draw consequences based on this. Even if scientists no longer want to work together because the results of their joint research may be used for military purposes, this decision is of course also a political one. The conditions under which cooperation takes place are not always crystal clear; in such cases, the DAAD offers support through What can science diplomacy not achieve? its DAAD Centre for International Academic Cooperation. It cannot force abrupt change. It cannot alter the political will of a regime, for example in Russia. Cross-border dialogue, exchange and collaboration among scientists are important, but they are no insurance against a deterioration in relations. And what can it definitely do better than politics? It has more staying power. It can create understanding, as well as build and consolidate trust and credibility over time. By focusing on the long term, science diplomacy creates relationships that can last for more than 100 years, as is the case with the German Archaeological Institute. Does that mean science diplomacy can operate much more freely because it can take completely different paths compared to official state agencies? What can we do to ensure that science is not instrumentalised and restricted internationally? We try to be a role model: we cannot impose academic freedom on any country, but we can exemplify it and show how we benefit from the advantages it brings. Especially when it comes to the systematic differences that exist vis-à-vis countries like China, it is very important that we remain true to ourselves and not try to enter into competition to see who can do a better job of steering efforts in the spheres of science and research. Not only does our science and research freedom hold an allure for many international scientists who want to work here; it also holds persuasive power over those who advocate for free science and research in their own countries.

INTERNATIONAL ACADEMIC COOPERATION IN THE CONTEXT OF THE ‘ZEITENWENDE’ I 17 Towards a realistic approach to science foreign policy As an actor in science diplomacy, the DAAD is committed to a realistic approach in science foreign policy, an approach that can be described as “foreign science Realpolitik”, as DAAD President Professor Mukherjee puts it. In a paper published in early 2024, the DAAD outlined what shaping international academic cooper- ation using a realistic approach actually means, using academic cooperation with China as an example. The paper advocates an interest-oriented, risk-reflective and skills- based approach to cooperation with China. A foreign science Realpolitik consciously deals with global conflict constellations and diverging values, while using the opportunities offered by science as a space for cooperation. Within this dynamic space, relationships must be constantly renegotiated, expanded upon or even scaled back depending on the context and circum- stances. Careful consideration of the opportunities and risks of international scientific cooperation is necessary. This requires profound technical and regional expertise on the part of science and universities. At the same time, the continuous exchange of perspectives and assessments between science and politics is becoming increasingly important. KIWi supports both of these endeavours. Fostering for the dialogue between science and politics “The number of requests from German universities turning to KIWi asking for advice on complex framework conditions and contexts relevant to foreign science policy has increased significantly,” KIWi Director Sakine Weikert reports. It is always important to balance the goals and opportunities of a coopera- tion with possible challenges and risks and to carefully examine the individual case. This is also the guiding principle of KIWi’s experts, who advise German universities on the initiation and implementation of international collaborations. “Our primary task is to raise awareness, provide up-to-date and carefully researched knowledge and strengthen the stakeholders involved in their confidence to act,” says Weikert. “However, the decision as to whether and how an international cooperation is then structured is always made by the university itself.” The close exchange of scientific and policy perspectives is important for the field of science diplomacy. KIWi promotes this dialogue with a variety of offers and events such as the KIWi Policy Talks, during which issues relevant to foreign science policy are discussed. Examples include scientific freedom in international cooperation, the relevance of Germany’s National Security Strategy for academic cooperation or the implications of the US election for transatlantic scientific cooperation. KIWi also maintains close relationships with national and international partners on these topics as well as further aspects of science diplomacy and discusses joint approaches to action. There is an intensive dialogue with partners in Europe in particular. “Our aim is to provide impetus and initiate debates,” says DAAD Secretary General Dr. Kai Sicks, underlining the goals of KIWi. “Through events, advisory and networking services and the publication of guidelines and discussion papers, we provide the German higher education system with the necessary expertise and opportunities to foster a dialogue on the opportunities and challenges of university cooperation in times of change.”

IN FOCUS: RISKS AND SECURITY I 19 DR. JENS BRANDENBURG has held the office of Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister of Education and Research from December 2021 until November 2024. A political scientist who received his doctorate from the University of Mannheim, he has been a member of the German Bundestag since 2017, where he represents the Free Democratic Party. Before becoming a member of the German Bundestag, he worked for a global management consultancy. cultures. It can also help to win over countries and regions that are currently dependent on systemic rivals to come to share our own values and goals. How can KIWi specifically support German universities in identifying opportunities and tapping potential, especially in countries in geopolitically challenging contexts? It is important to recognise and take advantage of opportuni- ties, because science is highly competitive on a global scale. Seizing opportunities is also our goal as the German Federal Government. However, international cooperation is becoming increasingly complex. That is where KIWI’s expertise is very valuable to universities, whether it’s through individual advice, organising peer-to-peer knowledge sharing or providing guide- lines. Universities can use the continuously updated materials with criteria and key questions to help them assess the risks and opportunities of cooperating with international partners. for Science Diplomacy to position ourselves jointly as European Union. This is a central building block because we share dem- ocratic values with our European partners. And finally, in 2023, the BMBF published a special web page on science diplomacy on the online portal “Kooperation-international”. The BMBF is committed to science diplomacy worldwide. Why is that? And what are the most important instruments in this context? According to the BMBF, what role does academic freedom play in the context of international cooperation? Science diplomacy is a central element of the Federal Government’s education, science and research policy. It oper- ates at the intersection of education and research on the one hand and international politics and diplomacy on the other. With the help of science diplomacy, Germany is committed to a connected and open knowledge society and to freedom of science and research worldwide. However, the BMBF draws clear boundaries in sensitive areas, for example in the question of research security and cooperation with particular dual-use risks. We must defend our values and principles in our cooperations. We therefore want to consolidate cooperations with partners who share our values. The BMBF and the Federal Foreign Office work closely together as leaders in the field of science diplomacy. Examples of this are the network of more than 450 science officers at German missions abroad and the German Houses of Science and Innovation. At EU level, we are supporting the process of creating a European Framework Top-level research requires that we can and must work together with the best in the world. But our academic freedom reaches its limits where the misuse of research, unwanted technology transfer and illegitimate foreign influence are possible. We must not be naive in the field of science either. Liberal de- mocracies are under pressure. We are increasingly competing with authoritarian-ruled systemic rivals. These actors exploit our freedoms. They use partly unacceptable methods such as coercion and espionage. In doing so, they endanger not only our technological and digital sovereignty, but also our national security. Reconciling academic freedom and security policy interests is therefore the order of the day. But it requires careful consideration: we must be aware of the threats and take the necessary measures to protect academic freedom. Freedom of research and science is one of our most precious assets. After all, science cannot function without exchange and networking with others. Maintaining and expanding a free and safe research environment is a joint task.

IN FOCUS: RISKS AND SECURITY I 21 SAKINE WEIKERT (right), Head of Unit at the KIWi, has many years of practical experience in China as the former Head of the DAAD office in Shanghai. and organising export control offices and Committees for Ethics in Security-Relevant Research (Kommission für Ethik sicherheitsrelevanter Forschung – KEF) and implementing procedures for systematically registering visiting academics. It also addresses the issues of cyber security and access to IT and laboratory infrastructures. KIWi’s advice on these issues is based on the team’s in-depth ex- pertise and close cooperation with higher education institutions to facilitate the transfer of best practice and dialogue between them. The aim is always to provide customised advice bearing in mind individual and institutional goals, framework conditions and requirements. “Each enquiry made by a higher education institution is completely different, whether geographically or thematically,” reports Dr. Julia Linder, who is responsible for the thematic area “Risks and Security” at KIWi. “We receive very specific questions about ongoing collaborations and their readjustment – especially against the backdrop of changing conditions. In some of our one-to-one sessions, the main focus is on basic awareness of safety issues. But there are also individual enquiries about specific cooperation constellations, for which I put together a team of experts to develop solutions models in a peer-to-peer exchange,” says Linder, describing the typical working methods of KIWi in her area. Research security in practice The key here is always to closely involve all higher education stakeholders who are relevant to a specific cooperation project at the earliest stage possible. These include not only the aca- demics but also the International Offices, legal advisors and other administrative units, and possibly the university’s man- agement too. This is confirmed by Gabriel Belinga Belinga, Director of the International Office at Mainz University of Applied Sciences: “I was impressed by the awareness-raising work that took place at all of the university levels involved – university management, professors and administration – as a result of our consultation with KIWi. Everyone understood perfectly that we need to assess the opportunities and risks here.” Background to the consultation: An Iranian professor was interested in conducting research at the Mainz University of Applied Sciences. For the university, which believed the scientist had a strong research profile, it was crucial to find out: “Where are the red lines? To what extent can we consider the individual and the institution or nationality and regime separately? Are there any indications by which we can assess whether the research visit is questionable or harmless?” explains Belinga Belinga. He found the research references to websites, lists and texts particularly useful. Moreover, the reference to practical options, “helped the university to dis- entangle the complex relationships from the general security situation in order to clarify this particular individual case.” In 2024, following advice from the German-Chinese Medical Society, a scientist from the Faculty of Medicine at Otto von Guericke University in Magdeburg also approached KIWi for assistance with assessing the risks. The specific reason was an offer of cooperation from a Chinese laboratory and the framework agreement it had drafted. Prof. Ulf Kahlert, Head of the Department of Molecular and Experimental Surgery at Magdeburg University Hospital, outlines the highly sensitive nature of such a topic: “For the past ten years, China has been one of the five countries with which I have the most intense

IN FOCUS: RISKS AND SECURITY I 23 The KIWi Compass “No red lines”: Guidelines for evaluating opportunities and risks in international collaborations Developed back in 2020, the KIWi Compass publication, “No red lines. Academic cooperation within complex legal and regulatory environments” is a tool designed to support German higher education institutions in assessing opportunities and risks in international academic cooperation. The criteria-based guide allows identifying different levels of cooperation and risk and offers guidance on assessing specific cooperation contexts. This KIWi Compass publication deliberately follows a country-agnostic approach. “Focusing on individual nations or nationalities does not allow for a differentiated assessment of specific cooperation constellations. Our approach is therefore not to draw generalised red lines. Instead, the specific conditions and implications of cooperation must be considered on a case-by-case basis and constantly re-assessed,” says DAAD Secretary General Dr. Kai Sicks. This KIWi Compass subdivides the area of higher education cooperation into six criteria or dimensions that are of particular relevance when assessing opportunities, risks and security aspects: 1. Security situation 2. Wider political imperatives 3. Constitutional and sociopolitical framework 4. Opportunities and risks of the respective academic system 5. Quality of academic partner institutions 6. Integration into institutional strategies Selected sub-criteria are defined for each criterion for which practical key ques- tions are listed. These are supplemented by references to numerous open-access information sources for further information. This structure enables systematic and informed risk assessment and mitigation. KIWi Compass focuses not only on the areas of cooperation specific to academia, but also on issues relating to the security situation, medical care, mobility, communication and infrastructure. KIWi Compass has been created as a “living” document that is constantly being developed and updated. From autumn 2024, it will be available in a revised digital version as a bilingual German/English website.