How can institutions that are supposed to protect and stabilise our society remain capable of acting in times of global uncertainty? And how can trust in cooperation between state, civil and security-related actors be strengthened – especially in a world characterised by conflict, instability and misinformation? These key questions were the focus of this year's Annual Civil-Military Cooperation Foresight Conference (ACFC), which was hosted by the NATO Centre of Excellence for Civil-Military Cooperation in The Hague from 15 to 19 September 2025 – once again with the active participation of OTH Regensburg.
Scientific perspective on current security and social issues
The conference brought together around 200 experts from government, academia, business and international organisations. The aim was to discuss forms of effective cooperation in an increasingly complex global environment and to develop practical strategies for dealing with future crises.
The NATO Centre of Excellence for Civil-Military Cooperation is hosting the conference series for the second year in a row. It serves as a platform for exchange between different social actors to ensure that government, private and civil society structures interact effectively in the event of a crisis.
The Systems Analysis and Training (SAT) Laboratory at OTH Regensburg has been part of this network for many years and is committed to providing a scientifically sound perspective on crisis prevention and cooperation through research, teaching and knowledge transfer.
Expert lecture by Prof. Dr. Markus Bresinsky
In the opening lecture of the conference, Prof. Dr. Markus Bresinsky (OTH Regensburg) and Christian Sigl (University of Regensburg) explained the differences between traditional and hybrid security challenges. The latter include, for example, disinformation, economic pressure or targeted influence on social structures.
The aim of the lecture was to combine scientific findings with practical experience and to derive recommendations for effective cooperation in crisis situations. A key finding was that cooperation between public, private and civil society actors can be significantly strengthened through a better understanding of social dynamics.
Strengthening networks and promoting cooperation
On the evening of the second day of the conference, the NATO Competence Centre's practice partners presented themselves at an exhibition. With the support of Matthias Kauper from the International Relations and Management programme, OTH Regensburg was also represented there and was able to present its current educational and research work. The event also provided a valuable opportunity to exchange ideas with experts from various fields, establish new international contacts in the field and discuss approaches for future cooperation.
The diverse discussions, lectures and workshops provided valuable impetus that will be incorporated into upcoming projects at OTH Regensburg. The university's renewed presence in this international setting underscores its commitment to providing scientific support for socially relevant topics.
