Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy at the University of Hamburg

Name

Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy at the University of Hamburg

Legal name

Institut für Friedensforschung und Sicherheitspolitik an der Universität Hamburg

Website

https://ifsh.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Policy Research and Peace Studies

NAICS

National Security and International Affairs (9281)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPADAFAE

Security Sector Reform (SSR) & Defense Institution Building

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/Peacekeeping, Conflict Resolution & Security Cooperation

SECONDARYBPADABAH

Peace, Security Sector Reform & Stabilization Programs

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/Bilateral Development Agencies & Aid Programs

Keywords

• Peace research
• Security policy analysis
• Arms control research
• Conflict studies
• European security research

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Institutional Funding: Core institutional funding from German federal and state (Hamburg) government sources, including the Federal Foreign Office for specific projects.
2. Research Grants: Project-based funding from Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), MacArthur Foundation, Stanton Foundation, and other research funding bodies.
3. Educational Programs: Revenue from Master of Arts program in Peace and Security Studies offered in cooperation with the University of Hamburg.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

IFSH is an independent, university-affiliated research institute that investigates the conditions of peace and security at global, regional, and local levels. It combines fundamental academic research with analyses of current security policy events and delivers practice-relevant recommendations for politics and society. Its core deliverables include policy-oriented publications (Policy Briefs, Research Reports, Kurzanalyse, Friedensgutachten, OSCE Insights, OSZE-Jahrbuch), educational programs (Master of Peace and Security Studies), and public engagement tools (explanatory videos, escape games, interactive formats).

Product overview

IFSH is a university-based peace research institute that offers research publications, educational programs, and public engagement tools rather than commercial products. The core offerings include academic publications (Kurzanalyse, Policy Brief, Research Report, Friedensgutachten, OSCE Insights, OSZE-Jahrbuch, Demokratie Sicherheit Frieden), a Master program in Peace and Security Studies, and multimedia educational content including explanatory videos, escape games (Unlock Europe), and interactive games (PEACE JAM). Research focuses on European Security, Internal Security, Arms Control, Climate Research, and participatory peace research under the 'doing peace!' horizontal focus.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Friedensgutachten (Peace Report) Annual joint publication co-produced by four leading German peace and conflict research institutes (IFSH, BICC, HSFK, INEF), analyzing current international peace and security challenges and presented at the Federal Press Conference. Targeted at policymakers, journalists, academics, and the informed public.
• Policy Brief Policy-oriented research publications offering actionable recommendations for policy makers on peace and security issues. Audience: government policymakers, advisors, and decision-makers.
• Research Report Comprehensive research reports documenting findings from IFSH research projects and working groups. Targeted at academic researchers, policy stakeholders, and expert audiences.
• Kurzanalyse (Brief Analysis) Short analytical publications providing brief research insights on current peace and security policy topics. Targeted at policymakers and journalists needing timely expert input.
• OSCE Insights Publications from IFSH's Center for OSCE Research (CORE) providing analysis on Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe topics. Targeted at OSCE stakeholders, European security researchers, and diplomats.
• OSZE-Jahrbuch (OSCE Yearbook) Yearbook providing comprehensive documentation and analysis of OSCE activities and European security issues. Targeted at European security researchers, diplomats, and policy professionals.
• Demokratie, Sicherheit, Frieden (Democracy, Security, Peace) Book series published by IFSH covering interdisciplinary research on democracy, security, and peace studies. Targeted at academic libraries, researchers, and students in political science and international relations.
• Master Peace and Security Studies Master's degree program offered in cooperation with the University of Hamburg, providing academic training in peace and security studies. Targeted at graduate students seeking careers in policy analysis, diplomacy, and international organizations.
• Erklärvideos (Explanatory Videos) Video content explaining security policy topics including nuclear weapons, arms race dynamics, drones and autonomous weapons, published on the IFSH YouTube channel with over 40 videos. Targeted at the general public, educators, and journalists seeking accessible explanations.
• Unlock Europe Escape Game Interactive escape game on peace and security in Europe, designed for educational purposes to engage citizens with European security topics. Targeted at educators, students, and the general public.
• PEACE JAM Interactive illustration and games project combining game design with peace research concepts. Targeted at educators, students, and the general public.
• Frag das IFSH! (Ask the IFSH!) Public engagement format allowing citizens to ask IFSH researchers questions about peace and security topics. Targeted at the general public, educators, and journalists.

Quantifiable outcome

• Regular expert participation in media commentary and government advisory roles
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability7 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Harvard University (Belfer Center)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022IFSH participates in the 'Rethinking Nuclear Deterrence' research network led by Harvard's Managing the Atom program. Dr. Ulrich Kühn co-chairs the 'Arms Control and Emerging Technologies' working group with CSIS. The network addresses questions about nuclear deterrence in the 21st century and alternatives to nuclear deterrence. Funded by MacArthur Foundation (2022-2024).
• Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022CSIS co-chairs the 'Arms Control and Emerging Technologies' working group with IFSH as part of the Rethinking Nuclear Deterrence network. Dr. Heather Williams from CSIS leads alongside Dr. Ulrich Kühn from IFSH.
• University of HamburgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIFSH is an institute at the University of Hamburg, jointly operating the Master program 'Peace and Security Studies'. Collaboration with Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences.
• PEACE Research Network EuropemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrans-European research network where Dr. Holger Niemann chairs the European security working group. Part of COST Action PEACE (Peace Research Community Europe).
• Friedensgutachten ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint publication partnership with three other leading German peace research institutes: BICC (Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies), HSFK (Leibniz Institute for Peace and Conflict Research), and INEF (Institute for Development and Peace).
• Bücherhallen HamburgminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation partner in the MUVE (Multiple Crises) participatory research project, working with Hamburg citizens on understanding and dealing with multiple crises.
• Landeszentrale für politische Bildung Hamburg (LpB)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation partner in MUVE project alongside Bücherhallen Hamburg, State Agency for Civic Education.
• German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnn-Kathrin Benner previously worked as event coordinator for GIGA Berlin Office. Some staff transitions and cooperation in research activities.
• Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Michael Brzoska is Associate Senior Fellow of SIPRI. Historical and ongoing collaboration between the institutes on arms control, disarmament, and security research.
• Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies (BICC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormerly Bonn International Center for Conversion. Dr. Brzoska previously served as Research Director and Deputy Director. Ongoing cooperation through joint publications including Friedensgutachten.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI): Globally recognized peace and security research institute with comparable focus on arms control, disarmament, and European security. IFSH's Prof. Brzoska serves as Associate Senior Fellow, evidencing direct collaboration.
• Harvard Kennedy School Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs: Lead institution of the Rethinking Nuclear Deterrence research network in which IFSH participates. Directly comparable in producing academic-policy research on nuclear strategy, arms control, and emerging technologies.
• German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP): Berlin-based German foreign and security policy think tank advising Bundestag and federal ministries. Comparable in policy-advisory function and German government funding model, though larger in scope and scale.
• Leibniz Institute for Peace and Conflict Research (HSFK): Frankfurt-based German peace research institute and Friedensgutachten co-publisher. Directly comparable in mission, funding model, and government advisory role.
• Institute for Development and Peace (INEF): University of Duisburg-Essen affiliated peace and development research institute and the fourth Friedensgutachten co-publisher. Shares the same German peace-research ecosystem and policy-advocacy model.
• Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS): Major US policy research organization that co-chairs the Arms Control and Emerging Technologies working group with IFSH. Comparable in producing policy-relevant research on nuclear deterrence and security.
• Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies (BICC): German peace and conflict research institute and one of the three other Friedensgutachten co-publishers. Operates in the same academic-policy niche with overlapping research staff and joint publication history.
• German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP): Berlin-based German foreign policy think tank working at the intersection of academic research and policy advice. Comparable in mission to inform German and European policy debates on international affairs.

Broad incumbents

• Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: Larger global think tank with comparable mission in international peace and security research. IFSH researcher Dr. Ulrich Kühn previously worked at Carnegie, evidencing direct personnel and topical overlap.
• Chatham House (Royal Institute of International Affairs): Established London-based international affairs think tank with broader geographic and thematic scope than IFSH but overlapping focus on European security, arms control, and policy-relevant research.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC5wN_0PypfNNltJO08dDy1w
• Xx.com/IFSHHamburg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy at the University of Hamburg