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…
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,…
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…
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…
Reimagining Global Cooperation through Climate Finance in Sub-Saharan Africa AIA Fellow Fadzei Chipato presented her research project on the significance of climate finance for climate justice, trust, and international cooperation, with a particular focus on Southern Africa. The starting point is the principle of “Common but Differentiated Responsibilities” (CBDR): Industrialized countries bear greater responsibility for…
On August 29, the AIA NRW Academic Board held its selection meeting. Once again this year, the Academy received a large number of excellent applications. This year’s call for applications focused on the topic of “Comprehensive Security.” The number of applications received nearly doubled compared to last year. We would like to thank all our…
To mark the 80th anniversary of North Rhine-Westphalia, business leaders and North Rhine-Westphalia’s Minister of Economic Affairs Mona Neubaur, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Ministry of Defense Sebastian Hartmann, Chairman of the German Bundestag’s Foreign Affairs Committee Armin Laschet, and Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall, discussed the state’s future role in the European security architecture.…
As part of the AIA Colloquium, Yi hyun Kang presented her latest observations on the use of artificial intelligence in the context of international climate diplomacy. She reported on her recently completed field research conducted during the 64th session of the subsidiary bodies of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC SB 64)…
Cécile Pelaudeix’s presentation at the AIA Colloquium addressed the growing importance of critical raw materials for the European Union and the policy challenges that arise from this. Due to geopolitical shifts, the energy transition, and the growing need for technology, demand for raw materials such as lithium, copper, nickel, cobalt, graphite, and rare earth elements…