In the face of great challenges we want to think differently about international politics. With researchers from around the globe, in discussion with politics and society, we are seeking out new ideas and expanding perspectives.

Fellow
Programme
The Academy is both a site of research and an exchange for ideas. The Academy offers its Fellows ideal working conditions in which to pursue their own questions. In conversation with scholars and scientists from other disciplines, with politicians and civil society, new perspectives arise.
Bonn.
The Federal City.
The capital city of the old Federal Republic has long been an important European research location. Bonn is home to outstanding scientific institutes, international organisations, UN institutions and federal ministries. Bonn is a small-scale, close-knit city and offers an ideal environment for developing the ideas of the future.


Events
From scholarly conferences, lectures and panel discussions through to conversations held within a small circle – the Academy conducts different events series. Debate on our chosen themes is held with a wide range of figures. We invite academic researchers, politicians, business, the media and the interested public to join us.
Academy
What’s New
Delegation of the German-Hungarian Institute
As part of their study trip, a delegation from the German-Hungarian Institute at the Mathias Corvinus Collegium visited the Academy. The federal system of the Federal Republic of Germany and the importance of the federal states in building international relations were intensively discussed.
Keynote speeches on ‘Freedom of Expression in the 21st Century’ online
On the occasion of the award of the Nobel Peace Prize, we hosted an event on ‘Freedom of Expression’, welcoming founding member and Executive Director of International Memorial, Dr. h.c. Elena Zhemkova and Prof. Dr. Róbert Spanó, former president of the European Court of Human Rights.
Earth (focus on Europe) represented by little dots, binary code and lines – big data, global business, cryptocurrency 3D render Lectures on the topic of “Disinformation” online
The topic “Disinformation” was the focus of the Summer Academy 2022. Alexandra Geese, Sarah Kreps and Sergei Guriev were among the speakers. Their and other lectures can now be listened to online.
© Volker Lannert International Security Forum Bonn
The Academy was a cooperation partner of the International Security Forum Bonn 2022 organised by the Center for Advanced Security, Strategic and Integration Studies (CASSIS). The Academy’s Executive Director Dr Mayssoun Zein Al Din spoke at two panel discussions on the topics “Growing Anti-Semitism” and “Climate and Security Research in North Rhine-Westphalia”. Her discussion partners were Felix Klein, Wilhelm Sandrisser, Lisa Fellhofer and Remko Leemhuis as well as Ines Dombrowsky, Jakob Rhyner, Lukas Hermwille and Shen Xiaomeng. The event “Assessing Climate and Security Research in North Rhine-Westphalia” took place at the Academy on 30 September 2022.
Exchange on Cybersecurity
On 28 September 2022, a meeting took place at the Academy between a delegation led by Principal Deputy National Cyber Director Kemba Walden and experts from the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The meeting was hosted by the Academy’s Executive Director Dr Mayssoun Zein Al Din.
Read moreAcademic Board met
On 24 September 2022, the Academy’s Academic Board met. The international and interdisciplinary committee decides on the awarding of fellowships and advises the Academy on scientific issues.
- Event
Recording of “Friendship without boundaries?” is online
On 14 June 2022, the AIA NRW hosted the event “Friendship without boundaries? Russian-Chinese relations during the war in Ukraine and their implications for the future of Europe”. After the welcome by Mayssoun Zein Al Din, Una Bērziņa-Čerenkova and Sarah Kirchberger spoke with Maximilian Mayer about the topic and their currently published books. The recording of the live stream is now available online.
First Fellow welcomed
The Academy’s Executive Director, Dr Mayssoun Zein Al Din, welcomed Dr Una Aleksandra Bērziņa-Čerenkova as the Academy’s first Fellow on 9 June 2022. Dr Bērziņa-Čerenkova is Director of the China Studies Centre at the University of Riga (Latvia) and Head of the Asia Programme of the Latvian Institute of International Affairs. At the AIA NRW she will be researching a very topical issue: the Russian-Chinese hi-tech military agenda. Already on 14 June 2022, she will discuss with Dr Sarah Kirchberger (Kiel) Russian-Chinese relations during the war in Ukraine and their implications for the future of Europe. The public evening event will take place at the Academy.
- Workshop
Social Media Impact on International Affairs
From 23 to 25 May 2022, the workshop “Social Media Impact on International Affairs” took place at the AIA NRW. It was initiated by Reinhold Kliegl, Stephan Lewandowsky, Olessia Koltsova & Ralph Hertwig. The Executive Director of the Academy, Mayssoun Zein Al Din, welcomed the participants in Bonn.
- Lecture
Global Security Architecture
Mayssoun Zein Al Din, Executive Director of AIA NRW, gave a lecture on 17 May 2022 on the topic of “Global Security Architecture in the Light of Sino-US Rivalry”. She spoke to the Association of Catholic Entrepreneurs. The event took place at the Industrie Club Düsseldorf.