Our Mission
The Center for Advanced Security, Strategic and Integration Studies (CASSIS) is an interdisciplinary research center at the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn in the field of strategic foresight, European and security policy research. Committed to the approach "Global Challenges Need European Responses", CASSIS contributes in interdisciplinary and inter-institutional work to develop, evaluate and publicly discuss European strategies to current challenges in the field of foreign and security policy.
Our Partners
Since 2019, CASSIS has developed into an important platform for the transfer of academic expertise and knowledge on pressing strategic topics both to the academic and non-academic audiences through a range of our research and high-profile teaching and event formats. While doing so, we were able to receive invaluable support from our great partners. CASSIS is very grateful to their support and we are proud to be well connected to many wonderful institutions. Together with our valued and trusted partners, we are able to foster discussions on matters of strategic importance near and abroad and jointly conduct and advance important research projects.
Current
Dossier Ukraine
The experts of CASSIS offer in various formats from their interdisciplinary perspectives classification and analysis on the Russian attack on Ukraine and its background.
© CASSIS
© CASSIS
The International Security Forum Bonn 2023
From 19 October to 22 October 2023, ISFB will be held for the eighth time in person on the premises of the University of Excellence Bonn as the most important international security conference in North Rhine-Westphalia and all neighboring federal states.
Our Focus
The content focus of CASSIS is, on the one hand, on the interdisciplinary engagement with traditional foreign and security policy topics such as interstate conflicts, competing international order systems, and a return of geopolitics, and on the other hand, on non-traditional security challenges related to space, cyber, climate, and energy security, terrorism, and human security.
© pixy.org
© NASA
Integrated Security and Global Sustainability
Lead: Prof. Dr. Volker Kronenberg
Prof. Dr. Wolfram Hilz
Prof. Dr. Ulrich Schlie
© Juliana Kozoski/Unsplash
Security and Strategy Research
Henry Kissinger Professorship for Security and Strategy Research
Prof. Dr. Ulrich Schlie
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Global Infrastructures
Politics and Governance of Global Infrastructures
Lead:
Prof. Dr. Maximilian Mayer
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Challenge East - Handlungsstrategien der Europäer in der östlichen Nachbarschaft
Lead: Prof. Dr. Wolfram Hilz Prof. Dr. Andreas Heinemann-Grüder
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"Was wird?"-Podcast
At irregular intervals, CASSIS also hosts the "Was wird?"-podcast, together with Prof. Dr. Andreas Heinemann-Grüder and Michael Krons.
News
Dr. Frank Umbach: "Moscow wants to capitalize"
Dr. Frank Umbach, Head of Research at the European Cluster for Climate, Energy and Resource Security (EUCERS) and Fellow at CASSIS, talks to phoenix about the recent BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro and the war in Ukraine.
Dr. Joachim Weber on the Death of Russia's Navy Deputy Commander
Dr. Joachim Weber, Senior Fellow at CASSIS, assesses what the death of the deputy commander of the Russian navy during fighting in Kursk means for the war in Ukraine. He also explains the alleged halt to US arms deliveries to Ukraine and outlines its security policy consequences .
CASSIS congratulates the founding of TILLER ALPHA GmbH
The Center for Advanced Security, Strategic and Integration Studies (CASSIS) warmly congratulates the founding of TILLER ALPHA GmbH, a pioneering initiative aimed at unlocking the potential of international research infrastructures through artificial intelligence.
Dr. Enrico Fels as a guest at Future Lounge #42: New security order in and for Europe
On 7 May 2025, Dr. Enrico Fels, Managing Director of the Center for Advanced Security, Strategic and Integration Studies (CASSIS) at the University of Bonn, took part in the 42nd edition of the Futures Lounge of D2030. Under the title “New Security Order in and for Europe - Perspectives and Potentials”, he discussed the future of European security policy together with Dr. Sarah Pagung (Körber Foundation) and Dr. Olaf Theiler (Bundeswehr Planning Office).
Review of the Event ‘Neustart: The Next Federal Government Facing Major Challenges’
To kick off the new legislative period, an interdisciplinary panel discussion on 24 April highlighted key political challenges and future issues for Germany. The focus was on setting the course for domestic and foreign policy, dealing with populist forces and Germany's role in Europe and the world. The event was organised by the Henry Kissinger Professorship at CASSIS at the University of Bonn.
The Sino-Russian alliance and the return of the power blocs: Mao and Stalin’s long shadows?
On March 27, 2025, the Academy of International Affairs, in collaboration with the University of Cologne (Chair of Modern China Studies), the University of Bonn (CASSIS), and the Jahrbuch für Historische Kommunismusforschung, hosted a panel discussion titled "The Sino-Russian Alliance and the Return of Power Blocs: Mao and Stalin’s Long Shadows?"
Publication of the Report by CASSIS of the University of Bonn and the EWI of the University of Cologne
Hydrogen is considered an important part of the EU's and Germany's climate neutrality strategy. Significant progress is required for the ramp-up, otherwise the targets might not be met. A report by CASSIS and EWI analyses the status of the ramp-up.
Final Conference Forschungsprojekt „H2 Reality Check“
Review of the Final Conference of the Research Project H2 Reality Check
Current Media Contributions
Dr. Moritz Brake at "Deutschlandfunk" on Houthis attacks in the Red Sea
Dr. Moritz Brake, Senior Fellow at CASSIS and expert on Maritime Security, assesses the threat situation in the Red Sea triggered by the Houthi rebels in an interview with Deutschlandfunk.
Interview of Prof. Dr. Volker Kronenberg with "Bild"
Prof. Dr. Volker Kronenberg, Director of CASSIS and Professor for Political Science at the University Bonn, explains in an interview with Bild why North Rhine-Westphalia's Minister President Hendrik Wüst has overtaken his party colleague and Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz in the latest polls.
Prof. Dr. Volker Kronenberg and Dr. Joachim Weber at „phoenix der Tag"
Prof. Dr. Volker Kronenberg, Director of CASSIS and Professor of Political Science at the University of Bonn, and Dr. Joachim Weber, Senior Fellow at CASSIS, examined the debate on Germany's federal budget and the increase in the defense budget on phoenix on July 9, 2025.
Prof. Dr. Caja Thimm at a panel discussion on AI in the district of Gießen
Prof. Dr. Caja Thimm, Professor of Media Studies and Intermediality at the University of Bonn, took part in a public panel discussion entitled "The future of work in the age of AI" on July 9, 2025. The event was organized by the Adult Education Centre (VHS) of the district of Gießen, the "Smart Gießener Land" project and other institutions from Hesse.
Prof. Dr. Ulrich Schlie at WDR 5 on Trump's Ukraine policy
Prof. Dr. Ulrich Schlie, Professor of Security and Strategy Research at the University of Bonn, analyzes Trump's decision to resume supplying weapons to Ukraine.
Dr. Frank Umbach: "Moscow wants to capitalize"
Dr. Frank Umbach, Head of Research at the European Cluster for Climate, Energy and Resource Security (EUCERS) and Fellow at CASSIS, talks to phoenix about the recent BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro and the war in Ukraine.
Dr. Joachim Weber on the Death of Russia's Navy Deputy Commander
Dr. Joachim Weber, Senior Fellow at CASSIS, assesses what the death of the deputy commander of the Russian navy during fighting in Kursk means for the war in Ukraine. He also explains the alleged halt to US arms deliveries to Ukraine and outlines its security policy consequences .
Prof. Dr. Andreas Heinemann-Grüder: “Wobbly game for Ukraine with Trump”
In an interview with Deutschlandfunk, Prof. Dr. Andreas Heinemann-Grüder interprets the White House's recent refusal to deliver certain weapons and ammunition to Ukraine after all - despite previous promises.
Events
CASSIS offers a wide range of events on current foreign and security policy issues.
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Upcoming events
Race to the moon
Bonner Universitätsforum
06:00 PM - 08:00 PM
The moon and the cislunar space surrounding it are increasingly becoming the focus of
astropolitical and technological competition. The new race to the moon ...
Safely through the city - strategies for safe NRW inner cities
Main building of the ...
06:30 PM - 08:00 PM
Whether in Bochum, Bonn or Bergisch Gladbach: city centers are central places of social life. But how safe are they - and how safe do they feel? The subjective ...
Past events
Islamism: European dimension & foreign influence
digital
07:00 PM - 08:30 PM
Islamism is one of the greatest challenges facing democracy today. Not because Islamist groups necessarily threaten violence, but because the aim of Islamist ...
China's Digital Expansion and the Rise of the Periphery
Hörsaal XIII, main ...
06:15 PM - 07:45 PM
The lecture will be held by Yen-Chi Lu and is the last in the series "Infrastructure, Capitalism, and Dependency in the Digital Age".
The rise of Chinese ...
Islamism in scientific discourses & delegitimization
digital
07:00 PM - 08:30 PM
Islamism is one of the greatest challenges facing democracy today. Not because Islamist groups necessarily threaten violence, but because the aim of Islamist ...
From the turning point to the epochal change - Quo vadis Germany?
Festsaal (main building) ...
07:00 PM - 08:30 PM
With its war of aggression against Ukraine, Russia has abandoned the basic principles of a
rules-based order and also intends to divide the West. ...
Current Scientific Publications
The EU and the US after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine: a new convergence on strategic autonomy?
The book develops a theoretical framework on policy paradigms, worldviews, grand strategy, strategic narratives and the drivers of institutional change followed by chapters on the anti-liberal challenge, the evolution of the EU framework of ideas, the search for grand strategy and strategic autonomy, the response to Russian aggression and imperial thinking, and continuity and change in EU unity, working groups, green leadership and strategic communication.
Explaining the launch and design of the EU’s military assistance mission to Ukraine
In October 2022, the EU established a military assistance mission in support to Ukrainian armed forces (EUMAM Ukraine). The decision to launch the mission runs contrary to what one would intuitively expect from the EU, considering member states’ traditional divisions on Russia, alternative training initiatives, Ukraine’s lacklustre position and the mission’s unconventional design. Despite the growing literature on the EU’s response to Russian aggression, this puzzle has so far been overlooked. While a reformulation of EU member states’ security preferences driven by the heightened threat of an aggressive Russia is certainly necessary to explain the creation of EUMAM Ukraine, we argue that the launch and design of the mission can only be fully understood through a neofunctionalist approach, taking into account the effect of functional pressure and the activism of EU actors. The article shows how the EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy and the European External Action Service seized an initiative from member states and set the foundation for the mission of unprecedented scope and complexity. This finding illustrates the importance of Brussels-based actors in driving EU security and defence policy forward in times of existential security crisis in Europe.
Global structures of digital dependence and the rise of technopoles
In their article published in New Political Economy, Maximilian Mayer and Yen-Chi Lu examine global patterns of digital dependency, highlighting how the United States and China, as key “technopoles,” possess significant technological sovereignty and strategically use digital infrastructures as instruments of power. Using the Digital Dependence Index (DDI), they develop a conceptual and data-driven model that reveals dependency structures across the areas of hardware, platforms, and patents. Theoretically, the study draws on approaches from international relations, international political economy, and concepts of structural dependency to analyze the geopolitical implications of digital asymmetries.
Connectivity and ‘Reglobalization’: India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor and its Potential Digital Future
Dr. Gedaliah Afterman, Dr. N. Janardhan, Mohammed Baharoon & Dr. Maximilian Mayer argue that the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) remains a strategic opportunity for driving economic growth, promoting technological collaboration, and serving as a platform for regional stabilization. The authors also stress that such initiatives have the potential to bolster middle powers and an inter- and trans-regional approach, thus mitigating U.S.-China bipolarism and fragmentation.
Publication of the Report by CASSIS of the University of Bonn and the EWI of the University of Cologne
Hydrogen is considered an important part of the EU's and Germany's climate neutrality strategy. Significant progress is required for the ramp-up, otherwise the targets might not be met. A report by CASSIS and EWI analyses the status of the ramp-up.
After NATO — the way forward
Emilian Kavalski and Maximilian Mayer write about the growing rift between Europe and the United States, drawing parallels between Winston Churchill’s contradictory views on America and the current strategic dilemmas facing Europe. While publicly advocating for a strong Anglo-American alliance, Churchill privately viewed the U.S. as an unreliable and self-interested partner—an argument that resonates today as the Trump administration actively undermines European security. In response, the authors call for Europe to pursue an independent defense strategy, moving away from reliance on the U.S. and toward a new security architecture.
Election campaign in focus: Disinformation and the Bundestag election 2025
The upcoming Bundestag election is threatened by foreign disinformation campaigns aimed at undermining trust in the democratic process. Russia, in particular, is relying on manipulated content and targeted influence on public opinion. Security authorities are responding with various measures to counter this threat.
Enhancing European Space Access: Fostering Innovation Ecosystems to Strengthen EU Space Capabilities
The relevance of the space sector will continue to increase in the future. Against the backdrop of the current geopolitical power shifts, the EU faces the challenge of developing a sustainable and robust strategy for the development of its own space capabilities. In the new CASSIS Policy Paper, Ulrich Schlie, Gregory Tutton and Philip Schäfer analyze the EU's strategic position in space and provide suggestions and impulses for improving Europe's space capabilities.
CASSIS - Center for Advanced Security, Strategic and Integration Studies
Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn