Welcome to ZAK!

Our core topic is the exchange between science and society in teaching, public events and research. The teaching and research of a university of excellence such as the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) potentially contributes to overcoming major social and global challenges. For this to succeed, it is important that science and society are in dialogue. As central scientific unit at KIT, we contribute to the following activities:

• In teaching, students acquire interdisciplinary knowledge, key competences and knowledge outside their own subject boundaries. The General Studies as well as in-depth study programmes provide orientation for one’s studies and society. Our teaching prepares students for successful action in their later professional life at the interfaces between science, economy, politics and the public.

• In events for the public, we take up socially relevant debates on the environment, technology and science and reflect on the consequences of scientific action. We also ask how the exchange between science and society can succeed and how it should be shaped in liberal democracies.

• In our research, we deal with the dynamics of public debates on science, technology and sustainability based on social science research methods.