About Us
The Young Security Conference e.V.
A Berlin based think-tank predominantly run by volunteers.
Since its establishment in 2020, the #YSC and its fellowship programme, have been fostering inclusive and intergenerational spaces for young thinkers to connect with policy experts, scholars and high ranking officials to bring new ideas into debates on European foreign and security policy.
We believe that future generations can build the foundations of a renewed Europe and strengthen its global presence transversally through a deeply rooted multilateral democratisation of politics and sciences.
Our mission is to connect young thinkers with policy experts and leading scholars in the field of European foreign and security policy through an annual conference and a fellowship programme.
We strive to be a voice in contemporary debates about the future of peace in Europe and around the globe. We firmly believe that the long-term success of the European Union depends on public support, particularly in foreign and security policy.
Our Story
The European Union is a diverse place. Different nationalities, cultures, backgrounds and stories are combined in an unprecedented setting. Hence, the people who talk about it, think about it and shape its future should reflect this diversity. This objective has been at the core of our mission since the start. Thus, since its foundation in November 2020, the YSC brings together political scientists, sociologists, and interested people of all generations to form a multifaceted collective that addresses present and future challenges to European integration, with a focus on its multidisciplinary security dimensions. The dialogue we seek should be open to a truly pan-European perspective, and thus bring a real contribution to the emerging pan-European space of socio-political discussion. While expertise is the undeniable basis for a nuanced and deep debate, our added value is the engagement of experts with voices of younger generations not often heard and interested in shaping the Europe of tomorrow.
Considering the current international context and the need to include younger generations within the European security policy sector, the YSC is both highly relevant and sought-after. We are doing all of this through a Fellowship program and our flagship Young Security Conference (YSC), which takes place yearly at the Amerikahaus in Munich. The YSC quickly became a unique, intergenerational, and innovative forum for challenging discussions and future-oriented solutions.
Our Values
Independent
We are not affiliated with any political party and aim to foster dialogue between people with different political views. However, we do not condone extremism or hate or any kind.
Intergenerational
We facilitate exchanges between leading academics, policymakers and young security professionals.
Inclusive
We aim to make young people's voices heard in the security field, a sector that is traditionally hard to enter. We especially encourage Fellow applications from women and marginalised genders.
We focus on European sovereignty. How can the European Union be more autonomous as a global force for good in this world?
We consider the Franco-German relationship, as well as the transatlantic partnership, as two essential dimensions along which we shape our debates.
We are convinced that Europe’s diversity and its humanistic values are at the core of its identity. Therefore, it is important to include this diversity in the process of shaping the EU’s political design.
We offer you the opportunity to lead and carry these multifaceted debates forward, with the goal to provide concrete proposals to address Europe’s most urgent challenges and to contribute to building its future.
Our Team
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Amélie Jaques-Apke
Director General & Co-Founder
Amélie organized the first edition of the YSC back in 2020. She is a Franco-German political analyst and researcher with experience in European Affairs and diplomacy across Europe and the Americas.
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Moritz Flössler
Deputy Director & Co-Founder
Moritz is a public sector consultant for the digital transformation of defence. He passionate about the European project and has been organising the YSC since its first edition. He studied Political Science and International Relations in Munich and Paris.
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Vitus Terviel
Head of Academia
Vitus’ expertise encompasses European integration, the EU’s normative illegitimacy, and the EU’s Covid-19 responses which he studies in his PhD project.
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Sophie Pownall
Head of Programmes
Sophie completed her BA and MA in European Studies. She has a range of experiences in communications, such as working at the Hertie School in Berlin and the Heinrich Böll Stiftung in Tirana.
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Ben Bruecher
Head of Operations & Treasurer
Ben has completed a BA and MA in History at the Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich as well as an MA at the Department of War Studies at King’s College London. He is passionate about War and Conflict Studies, with his main academic interest being state of exception and extra-legal necessity concepts in International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights.
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Lea Peters
Head of Communications
Lea is a policy and advocacy specialist for human and children rights. She has a trinational MA in European Studies which she studied in Poland, Germany and France. She is passionate about the intersectionality of human rights and (cyber)security policy.
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Lukas Baake
Research Fellow
Lukas currently works in the field of security policy in Berlin and also serves as deputy editor-in-chief of the media outlet Lossi 36. Next to Russian politics and the EU's external policies, his main fields of interest include geoeconomics in Central Asia and the South Caucasus. He studied philosophy, history, economics, musicology, and international relations in Berlin, Paris, and London.
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Jillian Alice Knull
Project Manager
Jillian is currently completing her studies in Political Science at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität with a focus on EU integration, security, and migration. Jillian works in the field of Public Relations and Political Intelligence with the House of Policy GmbH and has a freelancing company where she teaches at LMU and OTH Regensburg, among other institutions. Jillian is also dedicated to critical issues facing refugees and advocates for equitable rights and processes for asylum seekers in Germany.
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Dr Alina Nychyk
Research Fellow
Dr Alina Nychyk is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the European Politics Research Group at ETH Zurich. She studies the EU’s decision to grant Ukraine an EU candidate country status. Alina defended her PhD in Politics at the University of Manchester in April 2022.
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Karolin Rippich
Communications Manager & PI 'Women & Security Series'
Karolin is an IT governance specialist. She holds a BSc in Information Science, an EMJMD IntM in Security, Intelligence and Strategic Studies, and is currently a PhD student at Dublin City University. Karolin is passionate about the nexus of security, gender, and digital policy.
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Frieda Ottmann
Communications Manager
Frieda holds an MA in Contemporary History and is a PhD candidate at the Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich. She specialises in the history of European integration and the environment as a policy field.
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Zdeněk Rod
Project Manager
Zdeněk is a research fellow and PhD candidate at the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen, Department of Politics and International Relations. He is also a deputy executive director at the Centre for Security Analysis and Prevention in Prague and a research and teaching fellow at Ambis University.
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Yevgen Lantsuzovskyy
Project Manager
Yevgen is an agile specialist and political activist, passionate about security, digitisation, and EU integration. He is a scholar of numerous programmes, a regular panelist, and book author.
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Lana Pedisic
Research Fellow
Lana is a Research Fellow at the Young Security Conference and a Junior Research Fellow at the International Development Research Network. She focuses on the European Foreign and Security Policy, EU Enlargement Policy, Belt and Road Initiative in Europe, EU-China, and EU-Taiwan relations.
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Axel Honsdorf
Strategic Advisor | Head of BayFrance
Axel heads the Bavarian-French Centre for University Cooperation (BayFrance).
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Maik Schnierer
Strategic Advisor | Office Director FNS
As a foundation and project manager, Maik Schnierer has been working in internationally active institutions for many years, running projects on global governance and international relations and now works in the field of political education.
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Prof. Dr. Frédéric Charillon
Academic Advisor - France
Prof. Dr. Frédéric Charillon is a university professor in political science at the University of Clermont Auvergne and coordinator of the teaching of International Issues and Defence at ENA. His work focuses on the analysis of defence, foreign policy and international relations issues.
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Prof. Dr. Stephan Stetter
Academic Advisor - Germany
Prof. Dr. Stephan Stetter is Professor of International Politics and Conflict Studies at the Bundeswehr University Munich. His research focuses on international politics in global modernity as well as conflicts and politics in the Middle East.
Our Partners
As a non-profit organisation, we depend on financial, ideational and organisational support. Join our mission to make foreign and security policy more inclusive, innovative, and exciting for younger generations. If you become a partner, we will take you with us on our journey – every step of the way.
We thank all our partners and supporters!
