We invite original academic essays (maximum 5,000 words) that explore research questions broadly related to the theme “Science and Intelligence.” Submissions must be written in English and include a 500-word abstract outlining the central research question and core argument.
Review after 5 years of the Intelligence College in Europe, created on March 5, 2019 on a French initiative resulting from the Sorbonne Speech of September 27, 2017.
France Culture podcast of the show “Questions du soir” from May 5, 2025 -The suspension of intelligence sharing with Ukraine by the United States has sown doubts in Europe.
Can Europe do without American intelligence services?
- The debate by Quentin Lafay, guests of the day: Philippe Hayez Senior civil servant, former DGSE Director, professor of intelligence at Sciences Po Paris; Maud Quessard Director of the Europe, Atlantic Space Russia domain at IRSEM and co-director of the Observatory of American foreign policy; Serge Cholley Professor at Sciences Po Aix, former senior official within the Ministry of the Armed Forces.
- SIAC & the Intelligence College in Europe (CRE /ICE) are mentioned in the last 15 minutes by General Cholley and Ph. Hayez.
From May 6th to 7th, 2025, Norway, holding the Presidency of the Intelligence College in Europe (ICE), hosted a remarkable and forward-looking Thematic Seminar on Security in the High North.
This high-level European initiative was inaugurated by the State Secretary of the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, Mrs. Kristine Joy Nordenson Kallset, in the presence of numerous senior representatives from 14 ICE member and partner countries.
The event fully achieved the main objective of an Intelligence College Thematic Seminar: to seamlessly and effectively bring together senior intelligence experts, academics, and policy professionals in a productive brainstorming setting.
It also met the second aim of such an exercise: to broaden the thematic scope discussed within our extended community, this time expanding the Intelligence College regional focus and expertise on the High North, a region of growing strategic significance for European security.
This dense and impactful seminar, a true flagship event for the College in 2025, also showcased the benefits of a truly collaborative approach. Norway successfully brought together leading experts from Finland, Sweden, and the UK to enrich the strong Norwegian contribution. Through this joint and mixed-format approach, the seminar encouraged forward-thinking on emerging challenges and provided participants with a "3D perspective", moving well beyond the traditional "2D" frameworks that are still often applied.
Highly interactive, with an engaged audience, valuable networking opportunities, and top-tier roundtable discussions, the “Security in the High North” seminar helped our community better understand the evolving security dilemmas and renewed great power competition in a region long regarded as one of “low tension”. It also deepened our understanding of different layers of integration, whether regional, within alliances, or through new constellations.
This event once again demonstrated the value of this demanding but rewarding format, which allows us to challenge how we analyse emerging threats and how we shape future security policies.
Nearly one year after the first Intelligence College in Europe’s Outreach event in Brussels, to promote the Routledge Handbook on Disinformation drafted by four of its Academics, ICE had the pleasure to organise a second Academic Network activity on Monday 31st March !
Hosted by the French MoD Think Tank (IRSEM) and his very dynamic Director, Mr Philippe Perchoc, this event marked the launch of the first, major, academic achievement of the newly established ICE Academic Advisory Board, a special edition of the global peer review “International journal of Intelligence and Counter Intelligence (IJICI)” of Jan Goldman.
The theme, totally adapted to the new EU Strategies, launched with the Niniistö report, and to the new “Security Commission” concept, was “Towards a common European Intelligence Culture !”
The event, which has mobilized despite the strikes, 60 attendees, was organised around two main actions, preceded by a welcome coffee :
An High Level roundtable, for an Intelligence Policy discussion around the theme, During the first event with Director Daniel Markic, from EU INTCEN and SIAC, representing the EU Strategic intelligence community, Mrs Natalie Pauwels, HoU in the Enlargment DG, representing the EU clients and Mr Bart Raeymaekers, HoU Security in DG HRS, representing the EU Security community, moderated by ICE.PS Director.
An academic spotlight event, moderated by researcher Cristina Ivan, with 3 active members of the Academic Board :
the President of the Intelligence Studies Section (ISS) of the International Studies Association (ISA), Dr Ruben Arcos,
Dr DH. Tuinier, from the Universities of Breda and Leiden, representing the Netherland Intelligence community and a recent author of a very interesting research on the role of trust and inter-personal relations in intelligence partnership
Dr Irena Chiru, Head of the International Association for Intelligence Education (IAFIE) European Chapter, manager of the Romanian Intel Academy Academic Spotlight: New Directions in European Intelligence Studies
At this dynamic panel moderated by Dr. Cristina Ivan, leading academics explored the future of intelligence education in Europe.
The Speakers shared their insights on:
Joint European intelligence curricula
Integrating technology and new perspectives in training
Building resilience against hybrid threats and cognitive challenges
The impact of AI and ethical frameworks in intelligence education
This session marked a significant step toward envisioning a collaborative, resilient, and future-ready European intelligence education framework and reaffirmed the value of academic dialogue in addressing shared security challenges.
The High Level roundtable has given, before a nice Q&A session with the public, the occasion to the Director of EU INTCEN to insist on the timeliness aspect (delivering a timely intel-based service to the good decision-makers in a protected and trustworthy manner), on the increased demand for intelligence in Brussels and on the increasing impact of intelligence, thanks to regular briefings to the HRVP, in PSC and to the Foreign Affairs and Defence ministers. To continue in this impetus, the “SIAC Strengthening” and better secure communications means will be key.
Natalie Pauwels has developed her, informed, vision on how to do better on some precise topics, explaining the growing needs be it in security awareness, trainings or in intelligence support, insisting on the FIMI threats in candidate countries.
Mr Raeymaekers has highlighted the future needs on intelligence from a security perspective and presented, in the name of Ilkka Salmi (DDG HRS), the Commission’s future plans for more Resilience and Security. The driving idea is to evolve from a ”firefighting mentality” to a more holistic approach, an “all security cycle”. For this purpose, the creation of a new Integrated Security operation center (ISOC) will be key.
During the Q&A phase, were addressed, inter alia, the need to make some progress in terms of secure environment (creating a “trusted” environment with smooth, secure, inter-institutional communication means, more widespread clearances,…), in terms of visibility of the existing EU intelligence & Security bodies and the need, at least as important, of a robust training program.
As you see, an important discussion for the Intelligence College in Europe, which is already working with the Single Intelligence Analysis Capacity (SIAC, regrouping EU INTCEN and its military counterpart) with the various EU Security branches and with the European Security and Defence College (ESDC) !
If you add to this high quality and rich intelligence policy roundtable, the lessons learned from the Special edition of the IJICI review plus the conclusions of the scientific debate on how to use better the existing ESDC /ICE bodies to enhance the needed common culture, a very rich Academic Outreach Journey !
Thanks to all the attendees, true to their engagement despite strikes and thank again to the IRSEM Europe team, without who this event will not have taken place !
From March 11 to 13, 2025, the Intelligence College in Europe (ICE) was honored to participate in the Paris Defence and Strategy Forum (PDSF)—a major international platform dedicated to European security and defense. Organized by the Académie de Défense de L’École Militaire (ACADEM), the PDSF serves as a hub for strategic discussions and cross-disciplinary debates on pressing geopolitical, security, and technological challenges.
Building on the success of its first modest participation last year, ICE played an active role in this year’s forum and contributed in three key ways:
1) As part of the exhibition space, ICE, with an ICE exhibition stand, engaged with a broad audience of professionals, policymakers, and academics, fostering dialogue on intelligence cooperation and European security.
2) Former high ranking German Intelligence Officer, former Head of the civilian EU Intelligence Fusion Center EU INTCEN, and current Intel. & Security advisor of the Munich Security Conference (MSC), Dr Gerhard Conrad has delivered one of the opening keynote speech.
While insisting on ICE’s commitment to foster European intelligence cooperation, he has explained why no stronger European Defence and Security could occur without a stronger European Intelligence cooperation and a better common culture. For that, He has insisted on the need to first use the existing structures such as the Single Intelligence Analysis Capacity (SIAC, regrouping the strategic civilian & military fusion centers) or the EU SATCEN (satellite Agency, headquartered in Torrejon, near Madrid), before thinking about creating new structures which risk to create more harm than good and will not be operational in due time, i.e. in the next 18een to 36 months.
3) ICE hosted a highly engaging roundtable on "Youth and Intelligence," in order to emphasise the vital role of young professionals in shaping the future of European intelligence cooperation. The discussion highlighted existing initiatives that aimed at fostering intelligence awareness and education among youth, such as:
The two main Lithuanian processes, the "Intelligence Officer for a Week" competition for students sponsored by the ICE Secretariat and the "Back to School" program, authorizing young Intel. & Security professionals to explain their job in their alma mater,
The many Italian educational & sensitization initiatives directed towards high school and middle school students,
The training programs set up in the College of Europe in order to reinforce the intelligence & security awareness and to explain the basics of the EU intel. & security set up to future EU administrators-studying in Bruges,
The various university studies made in Europe.
The session was expertly moderated by Dr Cristina Ivan, Romanian ICE PoC, Professor at the national Intelligence Academic ANIMV and member of the International Association for Intelligence Education (IAFIE). Other Esteemed panelists where:
- Ruben Arcos, Professor at Rey Juan Carlos University, Madrid, and the College of Europe, Bruges; Spanish representative in IAFIE and, since the beginning of March, Head of the Intelligence Studies Section (ISS) of the International Studies Association (ISA). Also one of the active members, with Cristina Ivan, of ICE Academic Advisory Board,
- An Italian member of the national Intelligence Academy,
- The winners of the Lithuanian "Intelligence Officer for a Week" competition, a stiff competition existing since 5 years among the best, young, students of the Vilnius University.
Furthermore, Gerhard Conrad was invited to participate to the recorded interview of the “Café Stratégique”, in order to feed a podcast, on the EU Intelligence set-up that will be made largely accessible in the coming days.
Looking Ahead
The PDSF continues to grow as a key platform for European strategic thinking, and ICE is proud to contribute to these crucial discussions, through the mobilization of its Academic network. ICE will join, as an official partner, ACADEM in the next weeks, illustrating the interest to join forces at the European level to reach out the critical mass.
As we look forward to PDSF 2026, we remain committed to strengthening cooperation between our members, promoting European intelligence education and engaging the next generation. It will help enhancing a common, strategic, intelligence culture and a more natural partnership spirit in Europe, as Erasmus or EMILYO have helped to do.
On this 5th anniversary of the launch of the Intelligence College in Europe in Paris—an initiative created by the President of the Republic—Prefect Pascal Mailhos delivered the following speech during a reception at the Hôtel de Marigny for representatives of the European intelligence communities present in Paris for the College's Steering Committee.
The Social Ties That Bind: Trust & Cooperation in EU Intelligence
Traditional views on intelligence cooperation emphasize transactional exchanges—quid pro quo deals between states. But is that the full story? In his PhD research, Dr. Pepijn Tuinier, senior policy advisor at the Dutch Ministry of Defence and professor at the Netherlands Defence Academy, challenges this notion. His study reveals that social relations and trust play a far greater role in intelligence cooperation than often assumed.
As an active member of the ICE Academic Network, Tuinier explores how shared identities and personal networks foster cooperation within the EU intelligence community. Through in-depth interviews with senior intelligence professionals, he demonstrates that, far from being a shadowy world of secrecy and rivalry, intelligence services—like other organizations—thrive on interaction, goodwill, and mutual understanding.
On the 22nd of January 2025, the newly appointed Head of the EU Civilian Intelligence Center (EU INTCEN) inaugurated this year’s joint IFRI and Intelligence College in Europe “Intelligence Cycle.”
The former Director-General of the Croatian Intelligence Service, Mr. Daniel Markic, discussed the opportunities and challenges “Towards a European Intelligence Community” in front of the regular audience of the IFRI Brown Bag Seminar.
His clear, strategic, and forward-looking speech, delivered in remarkably fluent French, was followed by precise questions from an engaged audience.
ICE Permanent Secretariat extends its gratitude to the EU INTCEN Director, who emphasized the importance of the existing EU intelligence and security framework, the demands placed on EU institutions, and the need to strengthen the intelligence and security culture in Brussels with the support of the Intelligence College in Europe.
For context, on the 23rd of October 2024, ICE and the EU’s strategic intelligence directors (both civilian, Mr. Markic, and military, General BAEV), united within the Single Intelligence Analysis Capacity (SIAC), signed an official cooperation agreement.
On December 10th, the sixth edition of “A Thesis for National Security” prize ceremony, promoted by the Security Intelligence Department (DIS) took place in Rome, at the headquarters of the Italian Intelligence System. The event was attended by Alfredo Mantovano, the Undersecretary of State to the Presidency of the Council of Ministers - Delegated Authority for the Security of the Republic, the Director General of DIS, Elisabetta Belloni and the Directors of the Italian Intelligence Agencies.
The award aims at bringing the younger generation closer to the world of intelligence, promoting and encouraging studies on topics related to national security.
It was launched in 2014 as part of the activities to promote security culture, and over time, the competition has witnessed an increasing relevant involvement of the university world, and has become an annual initiative: more than 100 recent graduates from more than 40 national universities have participated.
This initiative represents yet another sign of the Intelligence's openness to the outside world and the solidity of its relationship with civil society and the university environment.
In this edition (2023-2024), 7 participants were rewarded with a prize worth €2,500 each for the best master thesis, rated no less than 105/110, on the following topics, among others: geopolitics and international relations; threats to national security; law, doctrine and history of intelligence; economic and financial security.
These are the winners selected by an internal Committee:
Samuele Bernardi, University of Pisa, From EU strategic autonomy to EU public order and security. Towards the framing of an “EU strategic security”?;
Roberto Colle, University of Trento, Democratic control of the information and security services: Historical and comparative aspects of a current issue;
Edoardo Liberati, Sapienza University of Roma, Efficient, Reusable and High Error Tolerant Fuzzy Extractor for Physical Unclonable Functions;
Alessandro Lotto, University of Padova, BARON: Base-Station Authentication Through Core Network for Mobility Management in 5G Networks;
Matteo Marras, University of Torino, The defence of national interests and Chinese investments in Italy;
Martina Serao, University of Roma Tre, The strategic competition between European Union and Russian Federation: A Net assessment analysis;
Maria Vittoria Zucca, University of Trento, Cybercrime in healthcare: history, diagnosis, and prognosis of an IT “disease.”.
The seventh edition of the Award is ongoing and you can find it on the Italian Intelligence website www.sicurezzanazionale.gov.it.
1 - What initially attracted you to the ICE, and what motivated you to take on the role of Director of the Permanent Secretariat?
Being the first director of the Permanent Secretariat of the College of Intelligence in Europe (ICE) was, for me, a great honour and an unforgettable experience. I accepted the role with much humility, but above all, with great enthusiasm.
A direct result of the 2017 Sorbonne speech, which I continue to regard as one of the most important speeches on Europe in recent years, the College of Intelligence in Europe project, now involving nearly thirty countries, is not only a challenge but also a significant ambition. Looking back, when I reflect on my two years leading the Permanent Secretariat of the College of Intelligence in Europe, I am proud to have been part of this endeavour and to have guided the College through its initial steps.
2 - Looking back, what do you consider ICE’s greatest achievements during your time as Director? Were there any specific initiatives or developments that you found particularly impactful?
First and foremost, I would like to pay tribute to our predecessors who were pioneers in launching this project. After the Sorbonne speech, it was necessary to bring to life an unprecedented project. This pioneering team rose to the challenge with much courage and dedication. We must not forget what we owe them.
As for me, I took up my post while we were very much under stress from the COVID pandemic. The real challenge was to buttress our project in a context that allowed neither travel nor the full mobilization of all the stakeholders involved.
Thanks to the small team working with me, whose resilience and hard work I wish to acknowledge, we reached out to each of our interlocutors (using all available means: emails, phone calls, videoconferences) to explain the project, its stakes, key milestones, and our strategy.
This initial dialogue, built on trust and empathy, enabled us, once the final COVID-related obstacles were lifted, to launch seminars, conferences, and publications quickly.
During my tenure, we launched the website. We organized the first steering committee of the College in Paris. We actively participated in the “Fabrique Défense” Forum, where we were able to present the College’s role in building an autonomous strategic culture in Europe to numerous young people. On that occasion, we organized a roundtable with senior intelligence officials. I also started a dialogue with IFRI with a view to launching a series of conferences on intelligence, and I am proud to see that project now realized, just as I am proud to see the active collaboration today between academic institutions and the College. I am aware of the significant work done to achieve this objective, and the Permanent Secretariat can only express gratitude to all those who invested in this sensitive matter.
3 – Coordinating 31 countries and their respective intelligence services in a newly established institution is no small feat. From your perspective, what was the most challenging aspect of this coordination and what impressed you the most?
Yes, coordinating the intelligence services of more than thirty countries is no mean feat. However, I believe it is easier to coordinate intelligence services than other State services, as despite our “ideological” differences, we still speak the same language and face the same challenges and threats today.
Of course, we had to convince those who had reservations about the College’s rationale, but what ultimately prevailed was a collective realization of the role that intelligence services, beyond their operational missions, have to play in building our political Europe and a shared strategic vision.
Through the numerous discussions I had during my time leading the Permanent Secretariat, what impressed me the most was the quality of the individuals I met. I discovered cultures I didn’t know, particularly those of Northern European countries, whose analysis I greatly admire. I witnessed the commitment and dedication of high-ranking officials—from Croatia, which held the presidency of the College when I arrived and offered unwavering support, to Italy, which assumed the presidency shortly before my departure with remarkable seriousness, to Romania and Spain, which were incredibly committed, especially in academic matters. I would also like to mention Germany’s key role in the initial phase of the project.
4 – What advice would you offer to continue building and strengthening European intelligence culture?
We must invest in youth, and everything that can be done to create synergies between individuals of the same generation will only strengthen a shared intelligence culture. The training programs currently developing within the College are a great opportunity and a guarantee of success for our project.
We must also innovate—create topics for synergy, invent new operational methods within the College, and develop new tools to strengthen our cohesion. As philologist and philosopher Heinz Wismann wrote, “Europe belongs only to those who dare to reinvent it,” and this applies to the world of intelligence in the first place.
The actions undertaken by the College are promising and forward-looking. I can only congratulate my successor and the team leading the Permanent Secretariat for the progress made over the past nearly three years.
5 – What is your vision for the future of ICE, and what do you hope it will achieve in the coming years?
The upheavals facing our world today profoundly impact intelligence services. The College of Intelligence in Europe must be a tool to address these changes and the disruptions we are witnessing.
It must become a mandatory step in the career paths of European intelligence officers and eventually become a true General Staff school for European intelligence (and I do emphasize European intelligence). But our ambition must go further. The College of Intelligence can also act as a trailblazer. In the face of current events which often prevent us from addressing future issues, the College must break new ground, anticipate, and imagine the unimaginable. Our different perspectives, cultures, and histories are a tremendous asset for thinking about the future together and reinventing ourselves in the face of the outside world. In this great challenge, European intelligence services are more vital than ever, and the College of Intelligence in Europe deserves all the attention it receives.
