Digital deserts: A paradox of our time

The digital landscape of Europe reveals a remarkable paradox that hits our industry particularly hard. On the one hand, mobile working should be a reality and Deutsche Bahn prides itself on Internet availability, on the other hand, the German government is so lagging behind in European and international comparison that we must seriously worry about the future in Germany. While it is a matter of course for people in remote regions (including in the desert) to have high-performance Internet access, in this country this is like waiting for the long-awaited rain.

In no other leading research location is the oversleep of digitization so clearly evident. In particular, the discrepancy between political announcements and the actual implementation of necessary measures is unbearable. We have a particular responsibility to offer the next generation of researchers at least the opportunities that are self-evident in other countries. A look beyond borders reveals the full extent of the backlog.

Despite the first glimpse of progress, we remain the digital desert in many areas:

• Lack of digitization and lack of teaching about digital methods in the school and education sector
• Large-scale incomplete broadband expansion that makes efficient data transmission difficult
• Unreliable Internet on trains that hinders mobile work
• Outdated administrative processes that delay compliance with international standards
• Inadequate support for digital research processes

Authorities and governments in Europe and Germany must consistently implement the digital infrastructure. It is important to do everything possible so that the digital transformation, which has long since become a reality at other research locations, can also be implemented here consistently and in a future-oriented manner. It is high time to transform the digital desert into a prosperous digital research landscape so as not to fall even further behind in global competition.

To this end, we at MEDIACC will continue to work for you in the area of health research and ensure a continuous dialogue between research, politics and industry through participation in standardization committees and in discussions with national and global decision makers. Only through this exchange can we initiate the necessary changes and strengthen Germany as a location for innovative clinical research.