On 16 April 2026, the Deutsch-Britische Gesellschaft convened the New Königswinter Future Lab in Berlin, an event designed specifically for the next generation of UK-German bridge-builders. Bringing together young professionals and emerging voices from politics, business, civil society and academia on both sides of the Channel, the Future Lab offered a dedicated space for the generation that will shape the bilateral relationship in the decades to come. Held at the NRW State Representation in Berlin and supported by the Federal Foreign Office and bp, the day was structured around three core working groups: people-to-people exchange, digital transformation and security, and wider economic modernisation.
What made the event particularly remarkable was the signal sent by both governments from the very outset. The formal opening was delivered jointly by Federal Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul and Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper MP — a clear statement that the views and ideas of this younger generation matter at the highest political level, and that the Königswinter Conferences are recognised as the forum for the bilateral relationship. Minister Wadephul spoke directly to the young participants, making no secret of why their presence was meaningful: they are the ones who will give life to the partnership in the years to come, shaping how both countries work together through their ideas, their networks and their engagement — whether in finance, diplomacy, tech or civil society.
His remarks set out the broader context into which this generation is stepping. Germany and the United Kingdom are facing the same monumental challenges: an eroding international order, Russia’s ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine, instability in the Middle East, a transforming transatlantic relationship, and an accelerating technological revolution driven by AI. Against this backdrop, the Kensington Treaty provides the bilateral partnership with a new structured framework, outlining 17 priority projects — spanning the economic and political levels as well as civil society — aimed at delivering tangible benefits for citizens of both countries. But Wadephul was equally clear about the limits of formal agreements: treaties do not create partnerships — people do.
The sentiment was echoed by Yvette Cooper’s speech. The Foreign Secretary spoke warmly about her personal experiences on a school exchange in Germany and stressed the importance of the bilateral relationship vis à vis the current geopolitical and technological challenged, saying how turbulence had become the new normal and both of our countries will be stronger if we stand together rather than alone. Both the Trinty House Agreements and the Kensington Treaty are important steps to drive forward bilateral cooperation, as well as the reset in the EU-UK relationship. They set out an ambitious roadmap for the future, and she welcomed the opportunity to discuss this with young people, who form both the future of Königswinter and the future of the German-British relationship.
It was the conviction that the relationship is shaped by people rather than treaties that gave the Future Lab its particular energy. Following the Q&A, moderated by John Kampfner, Vice Chair of the Deutsch-Britische Gesellschaft, participants split into three working groups and spent the morning developing concrete ideas and recommendations. The results of those discussions are set out in the report.

Download the full report from the New Königswinter Future Lab here.

Photo credit all other photos: Lukas Schramm

Eröffnet wurde die Veranstaltung mit kurzen Einführungen zum Kensington Treaty von Nick Pickard, UK FCDO, und Franziska Hagedorn, Auswärtiges Amt. Die Moderation übernahm Annette Dittert, Ard.

Es wurden fünf Arbeitsgruppen gebildet. Es folgen einige kurze Schlussfolgerungen aus ihren ersten Beratungen:

1) Jugendaustausch
Dies ist ein Bereich mit beträchtlichem Potenzial. Für viele der teilnehmenden Jugendlichen ist es der erste Auslandsaufenthalt und der erste Besuch im anderen Land, wodurch sie lebenslange Beziehungen aufbauen können. Es ist wichtig, überzeugende Narrative rund um solche Austausche zu schaffen. Es wurde angemerkt, dass dies nun einfacher wird, da einige der Reisehindernisse beseitigt wurden.

Vielfalt wurde als wichtiger Faktor genannt – es ist wichtig, sicherzustellen, dass die jungen Menschen, die diese Möglichkeit nutzen, nicht nur aus wohlhabenderen Verhältnissen und größeren Städten kommen, sondern dass auch diejenigen aus weniger privilegierten und weniger urbanen Verhältnissen einbezogen werden. Eine geografische Streuung ist unerlässlich. Als wichtig erachtet wurde auch die Entwicklung digitaler Formate, damit die Kontakte nach dem Austausch online weiter gepflegt werden können.

2) Studentenaustausch
Zwischen Großbritannien und Deutschland bestehen bereits erfolgreiche strategische bilaterale Partnerschaften (z. B. Oxford/Berlin, Cambridge/LMU München, Imperial College, TU München). Es muss jedoch noch mehr getan werden, um die multilaterale Zusammenarbeit zu verbessern, insbesondere angesichts der Tatsache, dass Großbritannien nicht mehr an Erasmus und Erasmus+ teilnimmt und das Turing-Programm keine großen Auswirkungen auf die Beziehungen zu Deutschland hatte. Es wurde vorgeschlagen, Gespräche mit dem DAAD über die Förderung weiterer Partnerschaften aufzunehmen.

Angesichts der großen Unterschiede in der Gebühren-/Finanzierungsstruktur wurde vorgeschlagen, dass Kurse mit dem größten Potenzial für Unternehmens- und andere Sponsoren aus den Bereichen neue Technologien – von KI über alle Formen von MINT bis hin zu Verteidigung und grüner Technologie – angeboten werden sollten. Es wurde auch betont, dass mehr getan werden sollte, um die Verbindungen zu technischen Hochschulen zu fördern und dabei das besser entwickelte duale System in Deutschland zu nutzen. Es wurde auch betont, dass der Sprachunterricht (insbesondere für Briten, die Deutsch lernen) nicht nur für Studenten, sondern auch für junge Menschen, die in den Arbeitsmarkt eintreten, von Vorteil wäre. Praktika sollten durch Work-Travel-Programme erleichtert werden, da Visa für Praktika derzeit schwer zu bekommen sind.

3) Städtepartnerschaften
Es wurde angenommen, dass der Verlust an Dynamik hauptsächlich auf Schwächen auf britischer Seite zurückzuführen ist. Der Verlust von Mitarbeitern für internationale Beziehungen in den Kommunalverwaltungen nach einer langen Phase von Ausgabenkürzungen hat zu einem Rückgang der Städtepartnerschaften geführt. (Es gibt einige Ausnahmen wie beispielsweise County Durham). An ihrer Stelle sollte daran gearbeitet werden, Verbindungen zu den für Kultur, Sport und Bildung zuständigen Beamten der Kommunalverwaltungen aufzubauen. Einige der bestehenden Verbindungen werden etwas langweilig (Banddurchschneiden usw.), da die aktiven Personen älter werden. Andere Möglichkeiten, wie Sport und Kultur, um Städte über Ländergrenzen hinweg zu verbinden, sollten erkundet werden, um ein jüngeres Publikum anzusprechen.
Wo sie weiterhin stark sind, sollten bestehende Städtepartnerschaften gefördert werden. Daneben sollten neue Modelle geschaffen werden. Eine Möglichkeit wäre, am Rande der Königswinter-Konferenz im nächsten Sommer eine Art Spotlight-Veranstaltung zu organisieren, um Ideen und potenzielle Pilotprojekte zu fördern. Wenn diese in Manchester stattfindet, sollten vielleicht lokale Behörden aus dem Norden und den Midlands des Vereinigten Königreichs eingeladen werden, neben bestehenden und potenziellen deutschen Partnern daran teilzunehmen. Die in Großbritannien ansässige British German Association, die sich damit befasst, sollte einbezogen werden. Größere regionale Partnerschaften sind potenziell ein fruchtbarer Weg. Die Beziehung zwischen der Greater Manchester Authority und dem Regionalverband Ruhr ist ein gutes Modell, auf dem man aufbauen kann. Außerdem muss die digitale Komponente in Stadt- und Regionalpartnerschaften vorangetrieben werden, um den laufenden Kontakt zu erleichtern.

4) Wissenschaft
In mehreren Bereichen scheint der Austausch gut voranzukommen, aber es gibt noch erheblichen Spielraum für eine Ausweitung. Die Teilnehmer nannten folgende Bereiche: Quantenphysik/KI, erneuerbare Energien, Batterien, Wasserstoff, Weltraum- und Fusionsenergie sowie globale Gesundheit. Bei diesen MINT-bezogenen Themen ist die Arbeit recht spezifisch. Ein weiterer Bereich wurde diskutiert: demokratische Resilienz. In diesem Bereich wird bereits in Oxford unter der Leitung einer Deutschen mit deutschen Teilnehmern gearbeitet. Weitere solche Partnerschaften sollten in

Betracht gezogen werden. Was die Folgen des Brexits angeht, so werden von Zeit zu Zeit Hindernisse festgestellt. Die Änderungen im britischen Visumsystem für Hochschulabsolventen könnten dazu führen, dass das Vereinigte Königreich für Wissenschaftler weniger attraktiv wird. Ein Teilnehmer sprach von der Verbringung wissenschaftlicher Proben, obwohl dies nun offenbar ausgeräumt worden ist. Die 180-Tage-Frist, die einen Aufenthalt im Schengen-Raum erlaubt, ist ein Hindernis für Wissenschaftler im Forschungsaufenthalt, da bei den 180 Tagen nicht zwischen Urlaubs- und Geschäftsreisen unterschieden wird; daher könnte den Teilnehmern die Zeit ausgehen.
Ein Bereich, in dem eine intensive Zusammenarbeit besteht – zwischen UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) und der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) – sollte weiter ausgebaut werden. Es wurde auch vorgeschlagen, auf britischer Seite eine einzelne Person, eine Galionsfigur, zu finden, die sich speziell für die Förderung bilateraler akademischer Beziehungen einsetzt.

5) Zivilgesellschaft
Es wurde festgestellt, dass dies der am wenigsten konkrete Diskussionsbereich war und der Begriff einer genaueren Definition bedarf. Eine Bestandsaufnahme wäre hilfreich, um zu sehen, was wo und von wem unternommen wird – nicht nur im britisch-deutschen Kontext, sondern auch im Zusammenhang mit den Verbindungen der Zivilgesellschaft beider Länder zu anderen Ländern. Zu den offensichtlichen Bereichen gehören die bereits behandelten Themen sowie Sport, Kultur, Umwelt/Natur, Gastronomie/Gastfreundschaft/andere Freizeitaktivitäten.
Die Art der Aktivitäten eignet sich für eine informelle Gestaltung, was positiv ist. Gleichzeitig sind in einigen Fällen Ankerinstitutionen wie Universitäten hilfreich, um die Koordination zu unterstützen. Es sollte mehr getan werden, um die Botschaft an eine möglichst breite Bevölkerungsgruppe zu verbreiten. Es wurde auch erwähnt, dass Botschaften und Konsulate in beiden Ländern sich als „unaufdringliche“ Anlaufstellen (vielleicht eine bestimmte Person) für Gruppen anbieten sollten, die Unterstützung beim Aufbau von Beziehungen wünschen.

John Kampfner, 1. Dezember 2025

Fotos von Lukas Schramm

The theme of the conference was “In times of radical change, do we need radical new ideas?”
State Secretary Miguel Berger (AA) and Jenny Bates, Director General Europe (FCO) gave the opening statements, followed by a Q&A session with the Young Leaders.
Introductions into the three topics including Q&A sessions with the participants were given by Ludwig Blaurock, Bundeskanzleramt, Gary Gillespie, Chief Economic Adviser to the Scottish Government and Anneliese Dodds MP, Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Emerging topics during the discussions were:

• EU/NATO pillar institutions
• the need to invest more into the bilateral relationship: we are “partners of choice”, UK and Germany have common values, the geopolitical and economic contexts are challenging, but we agree on vital issues, such as climate change, vaccines, transatlantic security and NATO, trade and security of supply, economic relationship and people to people
• the pandemic as accelerator of change, in light of this we need to prioritise an economic approach that puts societal and environmental concerns at the forefront, a whole system approach
• the pandemic has highlighted the importance of being resilient to external shocks, linked to social cohesion
• Solutions need to look across sectors
• but also: new forms of social cohesion are being created during the pandemic, particularly on local and communal level, people are taking more care of shared resouces
• however, it has also highlighted existing inequalities: labour impact of Covid-19 crisis much worse for women, minorities more likely to get Coronavirus and to die from it and research shows that unemployment has a particularly big impact on young peoples’ careers and their mental health
• a well-being economy (value-led: dignity, respect) aims to fight inequality and to strengthen resilience and cohesiveness

[Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen.
It is, if I may say so, a great pleasure to be here with so many of you this evening – above all, to celebrate the birthday of Her Majesty The Queen, who has asked me to convey her warmest greetings to you all. Of course, it is also a particular pleasure to be back in Berlin once again – especially as the grandfather of a brand new grandson!]
Returning to Berlin, I have been reminded that there is no place I know where history feels more present, or more relevant. To be in Berlin is to remember just how much this country, and indeed, this continent, have endured during our lifetimes, and those of our parents and grandparents.

When I first came here in 1972 this was a city divided – a symbol of a continent that had been torn apart by war and left with the ugliest of scars which, it seemed then, might never heal, and might never fade. It was also a symbol of freedom and western co-operation against Soviet aggression.These past decades have seen extraordinary change across Europe and, today, Berlin is a proud statement of just how far we have come and of the enduring hope of past, present and future generations. Berlin is not only your capital today, but our longstanding and common cause. It offers a powerful reminder that we must take nothing for granted, and of how today, as for centuries, the fortunes of all of us who share thissmall continent are so tightly interwoven by the myriad connections between us.
For some of us, of course, these connections are particularly personal. For me there are so many family connections and associations with Germany, as indeed with so many parts of Europe, going back for generations. This year, for instance, we celebrate the bicentenaries of my Great, Great, Great Grandparents, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, who were both born in 1819 – an anniversary that is being marked with exhibitions, concerts and youth exchanges, and by partnerships between the city of Coburg and British Institutions such as the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Royal Choral Society and English Heritage.
Prinz Albert von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha was the most remarkable man who, in his all-too-short life, had such far-reaching influence on the arts, science, trade and industry in Britain. To my family, he brought not just familial ties to what is now Germany, which we still cherish, but an affinity with German culture, and tradition, and a wish to share it across national borders. His tireless work remains important to us until this day; he helped to champion the rights of working people and the abolition of child labour in Britain; and, indeed, it is to him that we owe the tradition of decorating a Christmas tree in our homes.
In embodying these ties, my family is hardly unique. The people of Britain have enjoyed the most profound connections with the people of Germany, and indeed the wider European continent, for thousands of years. We have long been fascinated by each other: admiring of each other’s literature and music; inspired by each other’s ideas; and dependent upon each other’s economies for the trade that enhances our shared prosperity.
For all the bitter conflict that so tragically dominated the last century, time and again the people of our two countries have shown solidarity to one another. For example, eighty years ago when, in 1938 and 1939, thousands of Jewish children travelled to the U.K. as part of the Kindertransporteto escape the Nazis and start new lives in Britain. Or seventy years ago this year, when the Deutsch-Britische Gesellschaft(the German-British Association) was founded as a driver of British-German exchange and discussion which has thrived ever since; or when, also in 1949, the Berlin Airlift – the brainchild of British Air Commodore Rex Waite – saw British aircraft fly 175,000 sorties, over 30 million miles, to deliver nearly half of all the food that was flown in to Berlin during that extraordinary humanitarian operation.
Heute sind wir viel mehr als nur Nachbarn: wir sind Freunde und natürliche Partner, verbunden durch gemeinsame Erfahrungen, gemeinsame Interessen und gemeinsame Werte, und tief in unsere beiderseitige Zukunft eingebunden.
Alljährlich reisen zwei Millionen Briten nach Deutschland und drei Millionen Deutsche in das Vereinigte Königreich. Über zweihunderttausend Bürgerinnen und Bürger leben im jeweils anderen Land.

[Today, we are so much more than simply neighbours: we are friends and natural partners, bound together by our common experience, mutual interests and shared values, and deeply invested in each other’s futures.
Every year, two million British people visit Germany and three million Germans visit the U.K. Over two hundred thousand of our citizens live in each other’s countries.]

Our universities enjoy the closest of research collaborations and tens of thousands of our young people choose to travel between our countries to study in our world class universities. Our economies are so vitally interconnected, with mutual trade between our countries worth 150 billion euros a year. Indeed, this year the British Chamber of Commerce in Germany celebrates its centenary, which is a symbol of the enduring nature of the economic relationship between us.
On the world stage Britain and Germany work together to uphold the rules-based international order. We are both committed to the Paris Climate agreement, and are leading global efforts to reduce emissions. Indeed, this particular aspect of our shared approach to global issues couldn’t be more important, particularly as it becomes ever clearer that the impacts of climate change are happening faster and are more catastrophic than we had anticipated. Ladies and Gentlemen, if I may, it seems to me at least, that we would be wise to redouble our efforts in this regard, particularly in respect to the opportunities that will arise next year with the recalibration, and I hope strengthening, of the Paris Agreement, the Sustainable Development Goals and the Convention on Biological Diversity. This year, also, as we see the withdrawal of the majority of British Forces from Germany, we can be proud of our defence partnership and of everything we do together to enhance our shared security.
Ours is a relationship that is broad and wide-ranging because we need each other, but is deep and strong because of the mutual affection and profound respect between us.
It is a relationship in transition. But whatever the shape of our future relationship, and whatever is negotiated and agreed between governments and institutions, it is more clear to me than it has ever been, that the bonds between us will,and must, endure – and that our young people, and future generations, will have as much cause to cherish those bonds as our generation has had.
I can only say, for my own part, that my commitment to the relationship between Britain and Germany is both heartfelt and steadfast. I have long tried, in whatever small way I can, to foster the connections between us, whether through the military or through arts and culture; through my patronage of the Wörlitz Gardens in Sachsen-Anhalt, for example, which I am delighted to be visiting for the first time this week; or through the work of my Prince’s Foundation, in supporting projects such as the restoration of the remarkable 16th century timber courthouse in the town of Treffurt. All such initiatives, however big or small, or whoever is behind them, bring us together and keep us that way.
Exzellenzen, meine Damen und Herren, unsere Länder und unsere Völker haben gemeinsam so viel durchgestanden. Mit Blick auf die Zukunft hoffe ich sehr, dass wir uns auch versprechen werden, uns noch stärker füreinander und für die Bande zwischen uns einzusetzen.

[Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, our countries and our people have been through so much together. As we look towards the future, I can only hope that we can also pledge to redouble our commitment to each other and to the ties between us.]

In so doing, we can ensure that our continent will never again see the division and conflict of the past; that together, we will continue to be an indispensable force for good in our world; and that the friendships and partnerships that bind us together will continue to create opportunity for us all.“

Weitere Informationen finden Sie hier.

Mr. Collins, who had been personally involved in drawing up the agreements on which the delicate balance between the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom and between the diverse groups within Northern Ireland rested, reminded the audience of the forthcoming changes and described in detail, what these would entail for ireland. He made it very clear that

a) in 2016, relations between the UK and Ireland were as good as they had never been before in history;
b) the balance was threatened by the decision in the UK to leave the EU;
c) Ireland was determined to remain a loyal and integrated member of the EU;
d) open borders with the Republic and Northern Ireland that had existed long before both countries joined the EU, were of vital importance and that Ireland would never agree to change this, and would not compromise on this point in order to perhaps gain a better trade agreement for the future;
e) Ireland depended on the UK in organizing its EU membership and would be severely affected by the loss of this partner in the EU.

The Ambassador’s remarks were followed by an extensive Q&A-period. Answering one of the many questions, Mr. Collins unequivocally assured the audience of the ongoing solidarity of Ireland’s 26 remaining EU partners. The Ambassador also pointed out that a number of details to do with the future relationship between Ireland and the UK and between the Republic of Ireland has yet to be worked out. I.a. the legal and political implications for the process of implementing the Good Friday and St. Andrews Agreements are as yet unclear. The fact that the UK government had not so far “shown its hand”, and that Northern Ireland did not have a functioning government, were of course not helpful.

The Ambassador’s views, which were on the record, were well received by the audience, which comprised approx. 60 members, regular guests, and people with a specific interest in this subject.