Forschungszusa

Forschungszusa is a fictional term used in German-language science-policy simulations and speculative fiction to denote a centralized, transnational research network centered on the United States and its partners. The concept imagines a formal umbrella that integrates universities, national laboratories, and industry consortia to streamline funding, data sharing, and strategic planning for basic and applied science.

In the scenario, Forschungszusa would establish a coordinating council, regional hubs at major research universities, and a common infrastructure for grant administration, ethics oversight, and research data governance. It would employ a merit-based funding model, with joint calls for proposals on grand challenge topics such as climate risk, biosecurity, and digital infrastructure.

Activities include pooled funding, shared facilities, cross-institution collaboration, and an open data portal with standardized formats. It would work across disciplines—physics, life sciences, engineering, social sciences—and seek to align national policy with international partnerships.

History of the term: The concept first appears in policy exercises conducted in the 2010s and 2020s and has circulated in thought experiments. It does not represent an actual government agency or legally established entity as of the present.

Critique and reception: Scholars describe it as a thought experiment illustrating benefits and risks of centralized science governance; critics warn of potential centralization, political influence, and unequal access.