Centre for Military Studies, Department of Political Science, University of Copenhagen

What Centre for Military Studies, Department of Political Science, University of Copenhagen does

The Centre for Military Studies (CMS) / Center for Militære Studier is an academic research centre embedded in the Department of Political Science (Institut for Statskundskab) at the University of Copenhagen, with origins in the predecessor DIMS (Danish Institute of Military Studies) active from at least 2007 and renamed to CMS by 2010. It conducts research-based analysis of Danish, Nordic, European and international defence and security policy, producing peer-reviewed academic work, applied policy reports, background papers, expert commentary, podcasts (CMS Report Talks, CMS Seminarer, Lex Ferenda) and the annual Sikkerhedspolitisk Barometer expert survey conducted since 2014 across approximately 300 selected experts. Core activities include an annual Defence Conference, regular seminars and public events, and a summer school in Danish Defence Policy and Strategic Studies awarding 7.5 ECTS credits.

The centre is staffed by a Director, professors, associate and assistant professors, researchers, postdocs, research assistants, and a special consultant, with a small total headcount typical of a focused academic unit. Its outputs are distributed freely via its website (cms.polsci.ku.dk), podcast platforms (Apple Podcasts, Spotify), and direct engagement with Danish and international policy stakeholders. CMS does not sell a product in the commercial sense; rather, it is funded through University of Copenhagen core financing, the multi-year Danish Defence Agreement (most recently 2024-2033) between Danish defence parties and the university, and targeted external research grants from foundations such as the Carlsberg Foundation and the Research Council Faroe Islands.

CMS serves four primary audiences: Danish government policymakers (Folketinget, Ministry of Defence, parliamentary committees) as the primary stakeholder; the academic and student community in political science and security studies; media seeking expert commentary; and the broader public engaging with defence and security debates through publications and events. Its customers and partners include the Danish Parliament, Danish Ministry of Defence, NATO, the European Union, the UNODC Global Maritime Crime Programme, the Carlsberg Foundation, the Djøf Forlag publishing house, and the Asian Dynamics Initiative.

Name

Centre for Military Studies, Department of Political Science, University of Copenhagen

Legal name

Centre for Military Studies, Department of Political Science, University of Copenhagen

Website

https://cms.polsci.ku.dk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Centre for Military Studies (CMS) is a non-profit academic research centre at the University of Copenhagen that produces research-based analysis, reports, podcasts, an annual expert survey and a summer school programme on Danish, Nordic, European and international defence and security policy for government policymakers, academia, media and the public.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Defence and Security Policy Research

NAICS

Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Survey, Panel & Fieldwork Services (BPAHALAJ)

Keywords

• Defence policy research
• Security studies
• Think tank analysis
• International law research
• Military strategy studies

Headquarters

HQ city

Copenhagen

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. University Core Funding: Core funding from University of Copenhagen as an academic research center within the Department of Political Science.
2. Defence Agreement Funding: Financing secured through defence agreement between parties and the University of Copenhagen, as part of the 2024-2033 defence agreement.
3. Research Grants: External research grants from foundations including Carlsberg Foundation and Research Council Faroe Islands for specific research projects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

CMS conducts research-based analysis of Danish and international defence and security policy, producing reports, background papers, memos, and podcasts. It operates an annual expert survey (Sikkerhedspolitisk Barometer), hosts conferences and seminars, and offers an academic summer school program on Danish defence policy and strategic studies.

Product overview

The Centre for Military Studies (CMS) is a research center that offers a portfolio of knowledge products and educational services rather than a unified software platform. Core offerings include research reports and publications covering defense policy, security studies, international law, and military strategy; podcast series featuring expert discussions; an annual summer school program in Danish defense policy and strategic studies; the Sikkerhedspolitisk Barometer annual expert survey; and public events including the annual Defence Conference. These products collectively serve policymakers, researchers, students, and the general public interested in defense and security policy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CMS Report Talks: Podcast featuring defence and security policy discussions, seminars, and interviews with researchers
• Lex Ferenda: Conversations About Law and War
• Sikkerhedspolitisk Barometer (Security Policy Barometer)

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• UNODC Global Maritime Crime ProgrammecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2017CMS and UNODC's Global Maritime Crime Programme initiated a collaborative partnership on October 1st, 2017, to work together on maritime crime research and prevention efforts.
• Djøf ForlagcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCMS publishes reports in collaboration with Djøf Forlag (DJØF Publishing), including titles such as 'International Humanitarian Law and Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems' and 'A Wake-up Call for a European Security Provider?'.
• Asian Dynamics InitiativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCMS co-hosted international conference on China's nuclear deterrence and deterrence strategies in collaboration with Asian Dynamics Initiative.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Chatham House: London-based international affairs think tank covering defence, security, and global governance. Chatham House is a broader-incumbent peer with overlapping European defence and security policy research.
• International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS): London-based global think tank producing authoritative analysis on defence, geopolitics, and strategic studies. IISS is the global incumbent against which CMS is benchmarked in international think tank rankings on defence and security.
• RAND Corporation: US-based global policy think tank producing defence and security research for governments and international organizations. RAND is a comparable large-scale policy-research institution operating in adjacent themes.

Regional players

• Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI): Swedish government defence research agency conducting policy-relevant analysis on security and military affairs. FOI provides the Nordic counterpart research base that CMS draws comparisons with in its Nordic defence reports.
• Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI): Oslo-based research institute producing research on security, defence, and Norwegian foreign policy. NUPI is a leading Nordic counterpart to CMS with overlapping themes of NATO, Arctic security, and hybrid threats.
• Finnish Institute of International Affairs (FIIA): Helsinki-based think tank affiliated with the Finnish Committee for European Security (STETE). FIIA publishes on European security, NATO, and Northern European defence, making it a closely comparable regional Nordic defence-policy peer.

Direct peers

• Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI): Independent international institute dedicated to research on peace, arms control, and security. SIPRI is the leading global think tank in CMS's core thematic area and is a natural benchmark for defence and security policy research.
• Hague Centre for Strategic Studies (HCSS): Dutch think tank focused on security, defence, and strategic studies with a strong European-policy orientation. HCSS operates with a similar independent, research-driven model and frequently engages NATO and EU defence discussions.
• Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS): Copenhagen-based, Danish-government-funded research institute conducting policy research on foreign policy, security, and defence. DIIS is the closest domestic peer to CMS and overlaps directly on Danish and European security policy work.
• Royal United Services Institute (RUSI): UK-based defence and security think tank providing independent research and policy analysis. RUSI is one of the world's longest-established defence think tanks and operates with a similar university-adjacent, policy-focused model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/centerformilitaerestudier
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/centre-for-military-studies

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Centre for Military Studies, Department of Political Science, University of Copenhagen