© CCST
ChinaRiskNavigator
A data-informed tool supporting research security and responsible international cooperation with China
ChinaRiskNavigator supports universities and research institutions in identifying, contextualising, and discussing potential risk signals in Sino-German research cooperation without replacing academic judgment or institutional decision-making. Developed at the China Center of TU Berlin, ChinaRiskNavigator evolves continuously through real institutional use cases and feedback.
Why ChinaRiskNavigator?
In recent years, German and European universities have faced increasing challenges when cooperating with Chinese partners. These challenges arise from a combination of geopolitical tensions, export control regulations, dual-use concerns, and growing expectations for institutional research security governance.
At the same time, universities are not risk-averse by nature. Their core mission remains international cooperation, academic freedom, and knowledge exchange.
ChinaRiskNavigator was developed to help institutions navigate the tension between risk awareness and cooperation potential, providing structured, transparent, and data-informed insights that enable universities to move beyond ad-hoc assessments or purely intuition-based decisions.
What does ChinaRiskNavigator do?
ChinaRiskNavigator is a decision-support tool designed for institutional use.
It helps users to:
Gain an overview of research profiles and focus areas
Explore thematic and keyword-based research patterns
Identify potential risk-relevant signals in a transparent way
Support internal discussions across international offices, governance units, and researchers
How is ChinaRiskNavigator used?
ChinaRiskNavigator integrates bibliometric data and open-source information into an interactive analytical environment.
Instead of producing simplified indicators, ChinaRiskNavigator enables contextual interpretation and case-based assessment, supporting universities in developing their own informed positions.
ChinaRiskNavigator is designed for institutional collaborative use by international offices, research governance and compliance units, export control offices, university leadership, and researchers involved in sensitive cooperation projects.
Learn More & Early Access
For early access, demonstrations, or further information about ChinaRiskNavigator, please contact tingyu.song@tu-berlin.de
Team
© Rebecca Sampson
Dr. Sigrun Abels
Leiterin des Center for Cultural Studies on Science and Technology in China an der TU Berlin. Zudem ist sie Geschäftsführerin des CDHK-Büro Berlin (Chinesisch-Deutsches Hochschulkolleg der Tongji U, Shanghai) an der Fakultät Wirtschaft & Management der TUB. Die Sinologin (RUB & Nanjing Universität) forschte über Chinas Medien im chinesischen Transformationsprozess, arbeitete als Radiojournalistin und Dozentin bei der Deutschen Welle im In- und Ausland. Lehraufträge (RUB und TUB), internationale Konferenzbeiträge zur Medienentwicklung in China.
© CCST
Tingyu Song
joined CCST as a research assistant in April 2024. With an Electrical Engineering degree from Southeast University, China, she acquired her Master’s Degrees in Human-Computer Interaction from TU Berlin and Aalto University, Finland, under the EIT Dual Degree Program. Her master’s thesis, „The Economic Perspective of Privacy – Examination of Different Methods for Monetary Quantification“ extensively utilized data-driven research methods in a comparative study regarding usable privacy. At CCST, Tingyu is responsible for risk assessment and compliance in Sino-German collaborations. Her research interests include data-driven methodologies, Sino-German cooperation, Chinese science policy, and risk assessment in international collaborations.