As part of the AIA Colloquium, Pascal da Rocha examined the growing significance of state-led mediators in an increasingly fragmented international mediation landscape characterised by power politics. He focused on the question of why states of varying sizes and international standing – particularly those from the Gulf region – are increasingly assuming a similar role…
On Monday 9 November, a group of students from the Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS) of the United Nations University visited the Academy. The United Nations University (UNU) is the academic arm of the United Nations, operating worldwide as a global network of research and training institutes. It conducts scientific research, promotes the…
On Thursday 5 November, the Academy took part in the NRW Science Dialogue Day at RWTH Aachen University, this time under the theme ‘Strengthening Leadership Programmes and their Networks in NRW’. This forum for exchange and dialogue was organised by the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS) in collaboration with the Charlemagne Prize Foundation.…
Our understanding of artificial intelligence can barely keep up with the constant stream of new developments. Above all, we know little about the specific impacts of AI on key areas of society and politics, both in Germany and in comparison with other countries. The online seminar featuring two Academy fellows, Dr. Tuhinsubra Giri and Dr.…
Delphine Deschaux-Dutard, a French political scientist and expert on European security and defence policy from the Université Grenoble Alpes, discussed with the Academy’s fellows the extent to which French and German rearmament policies can contribute to greater strategic autonomy for Europe. She explained that rising national defence spending does not necessarily lead to European strategic…
How capable is Europe of defending itself in the face of growing geopolitical tensions, and what role can Germany and France play in strengthening European security? These questions were the focus of the Franco-German strategic dialogue ‘Can we defend ourselves? Europe between Washington, Moscow and Beijing’, organised by the Academy in cooperation with the Institut…
On Tuesday, 20 October 2026, the Academy took its fellows on a tour of the Chancellor’s Bungalow. In addition to fostering scholarly networking and providing academic support, the Academy’s fellowship programme also aims to introduce our international guests to the culture and history of Bonn, North Rhine-Westphalia and the Federal Republic of Germany. The Chancellor’s…
As part of a Global Policy Dialogue, the Academy’s fellows discussed the reorientation of Germany’s foreign policy with security expert Phyllis Berry. Phyllis Berry served as National Intelligence Officer for Europe within the US intelligence and analysis community from June 2021 to March 2025. Prior to that, she worked, amongst other roles, as Director for…
The Academy of International Affairs NRW was once again represented this year with a stand at the United Nations Day event organised by the City of Bonn. The Academy’s team, along with our fellows Zarina Burkadze, Cécile Pélaudeix, Tuhin Giri and Pascal da Rocha, were once again able to exchange views with our partner organisations…
The American studies scholar and author Tobias Endler and Hendrik Ohnesorge, Managing Director of the Centre for Advanced Security, Strategic and Integration Studies (CASSIS) at the University of Bonn, discussed political developments in the US and their implications for Germany and Europe. The event was moderated by AIA Director Mayssoun Zein Al Din. The discussion…
To mark the fifth anniversary of the Academy of International Affairs NRW, a full-day symposium was held at the Grandhotel Steigenberger Petersberg in Königswinter to explore how Europe’s security needs to be rethought in the face of far-reaching geopolitical changes. The focus was on a comprehensive concept of security that goes beyond traditional military and…
How can Europe remain capable of acting in a world of growing geopolitical tensions without compromising its political and ethical principles? This key question was the focus of the panel discussion that opened the symposium marking the fifth anniversary of the Academy of International Affairs NRW. In front of an audience of nearly 100 people,…
On 17 September 2026, the UN Security Council held an Arria-formula meeting on freedom of navigation and maritime security. Chaired by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Bahrain, the debate explored how the UN can better address maritime security challenges and ensure safe sea lanes. AIA Fellow Prof. Dr. Christian Bueger was…
On 15 September, International Day of Democracy, a public panel discussion was held under the title ‘Comprehensive Security: Strategies for Resilience in Democracies. A Comparison of Germany and Switzerland’. The discussion centred on the question of how democracies can become more resilient in the face of growing security, economic and societal risks. It became clear…
Tuhinsubhra Giri explained the far-reaching impact of AI on the world of work. This relates not only to the threat of job losses, but above all to changes in the nature of work, skills, sectors and forms of employment. He believes that overall employment levels may remain stable, whilst at the same time undergoing very…
AIA Fellows Yi hyun Kang and Tuhinsubhra Giri took part in a webinar organised by the Kenya-based NGO African Centre for Technology Studies as part of the United Nations Climate Change PCCB Network, which focused on how National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) can be implemented through better science communication. Many countries already have National Climate Adaptation…