Updating our social, political, and technological operating systems

About the TUM Think Tank

A home for ideas.
A driver for change. 

The TUM Think Tank is a university-based research to action platform that brings science, technology, and society into dialogue. We connect researchers, decision-makers, and change agents to turn knowledge into action, advancing a responsible digital future through cross-sector collaboration, critical insight, and public engagement.

Latest

Publication

The European Way: A blueprint for reclaiming our digital future

This policy paper is a call for Europe to reclaim its digital future. Directed in particular at the EU Institutions and the new German government, it has three core objectives: (a) to appeal to decision makers to seize the moment and finally mitigate the EU’s excessive and unilateral technology dependencies; (b) to articulate a coherent, values- driven digital policy vision — the ‘European Way’ — that aligns innovation, competitiveness, and democratic principles; and (c) to propose six larger reform packages that translate this vision into concrete actions across the entire technology stack, from digital infrastructure and single market integration to geopolitics, good governance, energy supply, and digital talent as well as skills.

04. Jun 2025
Discussion

Coffee Talk Series

Hot topics. Great people. Strong coffee. In just 45 minutes, our Friedrich Schiedel Fellows present their projects and discuss them in an open, informal and creative setting with participants from a wide range of disciplines.

TUM Think Tank
27. May 2025 — 11. Nov 2024
Roundtable

Who pays for the transport infrastructure?

Alternatives to traditional taxation in the transition to electro mobility

TUM Think Tank
30. Jun 2025
Publication

Artificial intelligence for sustainable urban development

The AI Canvas is a tool for exploring the potential of AI use cases in municipal ecosystems. A structured approach makes it possible to systematically develop and evaluate use cases based on their goal orientation, suitability, and feasibility. An accompanying guide provides methodological and theoretical support for the practical application of the tool.

28. May 2025
Discussion

AI readiness across mission-driven organizations

Join us for the launch of a new white paper exploring how mission-driven organizations are navigating the rise of AI. Based on interviews with stakeholders across mission-driven organizations, the paper highlights real-world use cases, key challenges, and future directions for AI adoption in the service of social and environmental goals.

TUM Think Tank
03. Jul 2025
Workshop

Future-proof data protection: From data protection law to the right to use data

How can data protection in the digital age be thought of, lived and shaped in a future-proof way - what contribution can new approaches such as a data usage right make - what is required for innovation, research and progress?

TUM Think Tank
26. Jun 2025
Noteworthy

A sociotechnical perspective on human preferences

We often assume that AI can be trained to be neutral, ethical, and aligned with human values. However, a growing body of research suggests this goal may be impossible, including new findings from the Civic Machines Lab.
At the Participatory AI Research & Practice Symposium (Sciences Po) at the Paris AI Action Summit, the Civic Machines Lab presented research on a fundamental challenge in AI alignment

18. Jun 2025

Digital twins in German cities

How can Urban Digital Twins (UDTs) accelerate the sustainable transformation of German cities?
The Urban Digitainability Lab at the TUM Think Tank has examined 34 use cases of Urban Digital Twins in Germany and summarized key findings in a new research brief.

02. Jun 2025

Initiatives at the TUM Think Tank 

Our initiatives

We are home to a network of labs, projects and fellowships, each focused on a unique area of inquiry. Our initiatives are built on the belief that tackling complex issues requires an inter-disciplinary approach and a willingness to explore new directions of learning.

Frontiers in Digital Child Safety

The Frontiers in Digital Child Safety initiative seeks to contribute to ongoing debates about novel ways to advance child safety through a series of open-source materials, including research briefs, issue spotters, or technical descriptions. It is complementary to existing and emerging child protection efforts. The transatlantic multi-stakeholder initiative at the TUM Think Tank is made possible by financial support from Apple. It invites collaboration among scholars at TUM, Harvard University, and the University of Zurich, and facilitates contributions by a global research community. The initiative will explore a range of innovative technological, educational, and other approaches to prevent and respond to digital child safety issues.

Project

The Content Moderation Lab explores how digital platforms regulate online speech—and how these choices influence user behavior, public attitudes, and democratic engagement.​

Lab

Integrating experienced practitioners into the work of the TUM Think Tank

Fellowship

Engaging today with the ethical, legal, societal and political implications of tomorrow’s quantum technologies.

Lab

The Urban Digitainability Lab is a transdisciplinary lab focused on empowering municipalities to drive the sustainable and digital transition.

Lab

Beyond traditional disciplinary boundaries, we seek fellows from diverse backgrounds who are dedicated to address societal challenges by developing approaches to advance the public good.

Fellowship

The Youth and Media Lab is an international hub for participatory research and policy innovation that empowers young people to co-create a safer, fairer, and more inclusive digital world.

Lab

The Immersive Realities Working Group pioneers responsible innovation in XR and social agents, bridging academia, industry, and policy to shape human-centered, equitable digital futures.

Lab

Stay updated

Join us

Events
Discussion

Coffee Talk Series

Hot topics. Great people. Strong coffee. In just 45 minutes, our Friedrich Schiedel Fellows present their projects and discuss them in an open, informal and creative setting with participants from a wide range of disciplines.

TUM Think Tank
27. May 2025 — 11. Nov 2024
Workshop

Future-proof data protection: From data protection law to the right to use data

How can data protection in the digital age be thought of, lived and shaped in a future-proof way - what contribution can new approaches such as a data usage right make - what is required for innovation, research and progress?

TUM Think Tank
26. Jun 2025
Roundtable

Who pays for the transport infrastructure?

Alternatives to traditional taxation in the transition to electro mobility

TUM Think Tank
30. Jun 2025
Discussion

AI readiness across mission-driven organizations

Join us for the launch of a new white paper exploring how mission-driven organizations are navigating the rise of AI. Based on interviews with stakeholders across mission-driven organizations, the paper highlights real-world use cases, key challenges, and future directions for AI adoption in the service of social and environmental goals.

TUM Think Tank
03. Jul 2025