Department of Peace and Conflict Research, Uppsala University

What Department of Peace and Conflict Research, Uppsala University does

The Department of Peace and Conflict Research (PCR) is an academic unit within Uppsala University, founded in 1971 and located in Uppsala, Sweden. The department conducts research and teaching focused on understanding the causes of armed conflicts and the conditions for durable peace, serving three primary constituencies: degree-seeking students (undergraduate, master's, PhD, and Rotary Peace Center fellows), policymakers and international organizations seeking evidence-based conflict analysis, and the global academic research community that consumes its datasets and publications. As a state-funded university department, it operates under Swedish public-sector governance rather than commercial market dynamics.

The department's core offerings center on three assets: the Uppsala Conflict Data Program (UCDP), which maintains the most comprehensive global dataset on organized violence, battle deaths, and peace agreements since 1946; the Violence & Impacts Early-Warning System (VIEWS), which produces monthly conflict predictions using predictive analytical modeling on structured time-series data; and the Alva Myrdal Centre (AMC) for Nuclear Disarmament, a specialized research and policy unit named after the Nobel Peace Prize laureate. These are supplemented by academic degree programs and the 'Researching Peace' podcast. The department does not sell commercial products; its revenue model is government appropriations and competitive research grants, with data and research outputs distributed free through dedicated portals.

Distribution is global through academic channels: UCDP and VIEWS data are accessed via dedicated research portals used by researchers and institutions worldwide, while academic programs are delivered through Uppsala University's central admissions system. Outreach is conducted through maintaining social media presence on LinkedIn, BlueSky, Facebook, YouTube (@UU_Peace), and X (@UU_Peace), supplemented by the Researching Peace podcast and earned media appearances by faculty discussing current conflict events.

Name

Department of Peace and Conflict Research, Uppsala University

Legal name

Uppsala University

Website

https://pcr.uu.se

Company type

Public

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Department of Peace and Conflict Research at Uppsala University is a Swedish academic research unit founded in 1971 that conducts research and teaching on armed conflict causes and peacebuilding, serving students, policymakers, and the global academic community through degree programs, the UCDP conflict dataset, and the VIEWS early-warning system.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Academic Research — Peace and Conflict Studies

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720), International Affairs (928120)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Post-Conflict Recovery, Reconciliation & Social Cohesion Programs (BPADAFAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Civilian Protection & Stabilization Operations (BPADAFAF), Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus & Resilience Programming (BPADAEAK), IAEA Safeguards Implementation & Verification Support (inspections, declarations, reporting) (EUAKAJAE)

Keywords

• Peace and conflict research
• Armed conflict data
• Conflict early warning
• Nuclear disarmament research
• Peace studies education

Headquarters

HQ city

Uppsala

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Department of Peace and Conflict Research is an academic department within Uppsala University that conducts research and teaching on the causes of armed conflict and the foundations of durable peace. It maintains the Uppsala Conflict Data Program (UCDP), the Violence & Impacts Early-Warning System (VIEWS), and the Alva Myrdal Centre for Nuclear Disarmament (AMC), and offers undergraduate, master's, PhD, and Rotary Peace Center educational programs.

Product overview

The Department of Peace and Conflict Research operates as an academic research unit offering data programs, research centers, and educational programs. Its core products include the Uppsala Conflict Data Program (UCDP) for conflict data, the Violence & Impacts Early-Warning System (VIEWS) for conflict predictions, and the Alva Myrdal Centre (AMC) for nuclear disarmament research. These offerings are supplemented by academic degree programs and the Researching Peace podcast. The department's portfolio centers on conflict research and data services rather than a unified software product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• UCDP (Uppsala Conflict Data Program) A comprehensive, globally accessible data program that collects, codes, and disseminates organized violence data, battle deaths, and peace agreements for academic and policy users worldwide.
• VIEWS (Violence & Impacts Early-Warning System) A monthly conflict prediction system that uses analytical and statistical modeling to forecast violence and conflict impacts, supporting early-warning capabilities for researchers and policymakers.
• Alva Myrdal Centre for Nuclear Disarmament (AMC) A dedicated research, teaching, and policy unit focused on nuclear disarmament, arms control, and non-proliferation, named after Nobel Peace Prize laureate Alva Myrdal.
• Peace and Conflict Studies Educational Programs Degree-bearing academic programmes (Bachelor, Master, PhD) in peace and conflict studies delivered through Uppsala University, with associated Rotary Peace Center fellowships for selected students.
• Researching Peace Podcast A publicly available podcast series produced by the department that features researchers discussing peace, conflict, and related findings for a broad audience.

Quantifiable outcome

• UCDP tracks organized violence globally with data since 1946
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Rotary International (Rotary Peace Center)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe department collaborates with Rotary International through the Rotary Peace Center, which supports students pursuing peace and conflict research education. This partnership provides fellowships and support for peace studies students.
• Alva Myrdal Centre for Nuclear DisarmamentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Alva Myrdal Centre (AMC) for Nuclear Disarmament operates as a dedicated unit within the department, providing teaching, research, and policy support specifically focused on nuclear disarmament issues. Named after Nobel Peace Prize laureate Alva Myrdal.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• International Crisis Group: Global conflict-analysis and policy-advocacy organization producing field-based briefings on armed conflicts and peace processes; comparable in applied conflict analysis serving policymakers, though it operates as a non-profit rather than a university department.
• Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI): Swedish-based independent institute producing data and policy analysis on armed conflict, arms control, and military expenditure; directly comparable as a fellow Swedish peace/security research institute with global policy reach.
• International Peace Institute (IPI): Independent non-profit focused on peace and security policy, with strong UN-system linkages; comparable as a policy-oriented peace research producer serving international organizations.
• Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO): Norwegian peace research institute conducting parallel conflict-data and peace-process research; comparable in mission, scale, and academic-policy hybrid model, and the closest European peer to Uppsala's department.
• King's College London – Department of War Studies: UK academic department offering research and teaching on war, conflict, and security; structurally analogous as a university-based conflict-research and teaching unit producing policy-relevant scholarship.
• Harvard Kennedy School – Carr Center for Human Rights Policy: University-based center conducting research and policy engagement on human rights and conflict; comparable as an academic-policy hybrid producing research that informs international affairs decision-making.
• University of Maryland – START (National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism): US university-based center producing globally used datasets and analysis on terrorism and political violence; directly comparable as an academic unit operating major conflict-related data programs used by researchers and policymakers.

Broad incumbents

• Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: Global affairs think tank with programs on international security and conflict resolution; comparable as a producer of policy-relevant peace and security research, though operating at broader geopolitical scope and as an established think tank rather than university department.
• RAND Corporation: Large US-based policy think tank conducting security, defense, and conflict research for governments; comparable as a research-policy producer on armed conflict, though broader in scope and operating outside the academic model.

Emerging players

• Center for Systemic Peace: Independent research entity producing the Polity and Major Episodes of Political Violence datasets; comparable as a specialized data-producer in the conflict-research space, though smaller and less institutionally embedded.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/UU_Peace
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@UU_Peace/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/department-of-peace-and-conflict-research-uppsala-university

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Department of Peace and Conflict Research, Uppsala University