A range of crises over the past decades have conspired to challenge the security and defence of Europe and its allies. The return of war to Europe and the re-emergence of great power competition has given rise to questions about Europe’s position in the world. The need for increased defence expenditure and military capabilities in the West has never been more urgent and allies and partners, the European Union and NATO are rising to these challenges through innovative policies and investments. Additionally, the transatlantic relationship is undergoing change with questions about Sino-American competition and the Indo-Pacific directly affecting defence policy in Europe. Finally, the intersection of conventional and unconventional threats means that Europe and its partners must create effective responses to hybrid threats, cyberdefence, outer space and the maritime domain. 

To meet such challenges, the Brussels School of Governance is pleased to announce the creation of a new Defence and Statecraft programme at the Centre for Security, Diplomacy and Strategy (CSDS). The Defence and Statecraft programme aims to become the leading research and policy hub for analysis and engagement on defence, geopolitics and statecraft. By drawing on its wealth of academic expertise and its extensive policy networks in Brussels and beyond, the programme will engage with research through policy- and scholarly-relevant analysis, provide a policy platform and leverage its location in Brussels to analyse defence, geopolitics and technology, lead on projects that help shape policy thinking in Brussels and work with global partners on common strategic projects of interest. Dr Daniel Fiott, assistant professor at the VUB, is heading the programme.