Global Governance Institute

The Global Governance Institute (GGI) is an independent, international nonprofit think tank headquartered in Brussels, Belgium. Established in 2010, it was created to bring together policymakers, scholars and practitioners working on ways to make global governance more effective, accountable and inclusive. Its work is centered on the United Nations system, while also examining how the UN can cooperate with the European Union, regional organizations, civil society and coalitions of states. GGI presents its mission around the development of a more equitable, peaceful and sustainable international order. Its stated approach emphasizes effective international institutions, the global rule of law and the ability of individuals and communities to participate in decisions that affect them across national borders. The institute draws on the 1995 Report on Global Governance and gives particular attention to the interaction between international institutions and transnational problems that cannot be managed by states acting alone. The institute's initial work addressed the relationship between sustainable development, human rights and peace. Early projects included research into land acquisition and property rights in developing countries, as well as the role of emerging powers in global governance. Over time, the agenda broadened to include United Nations peace operations, peacebuilding, conflict prevention, mediation, international criminal justice, protection of civilians, global environmental governance, economic governance, higher education and innovation, and the governance of artificial intelligence. GGI also maintains a Ukraine Programme examining European and global consequences of Russia's war against Ukraine. Research and policy advice are complemented by education, training and public engagement. GGI publishes open-access studies, briefing papers and policy reports, and organizes workshops and events with universities, civil-society groups and international or regional organizations. Its educational activities include a Global Governance Traineeship for undergraduate and graduate students, a summer school on global peace, security and strategic studies conducted with the Belgian Royal Military Academy, and a summer school addressing artificial intelligence and global governance. GGI has also developed a substantial higher-education portfolio. It is a founding partner and the Secretariat of the European Network on Teaching Excellence (E-NOTE), based within its Global Education & Innovation Unit. The institute additionally serves as a Brussels hub for the European University for Well-Being (EUniWell) and participates in projects concerned with teaching quality, institutional development and academic resilience, including the LITE and EU-CARE initiatives. The organization is constituted as a Belgian not-for-profit association under the ASBL/VZW framework. Its projects have received support from European institutions and several public, academic and philanthropic bodies, but the institute states that it does not receive structural subsidy from a single organization or government. Its current network includes a full-time management team and more than 40 resident and non-resident fellows located in Brussels and other regions across four continents. GGI also hosts the State of the Globe podcast, which discusses global challenges and possible governance responses in areas such as peace and security, democracy, human rights, environmental policy, artificial intelligence and the global economy.

The Global Governance Institute was established in Brussels in 2010 by international security scholar Joachim Koops, Christof Tatschl, Benedikt Franke and sustainable-development specialist Aaron Leopold. Its founding purpose was to create an independent research, education and policy organization dedicated specifically to global governance, with the United Nations system as a central reference point. The organization was formed as a Belgian nonprofit association under the ASBL/VZW legal structure. GGI's early program linked sustainable development, human rights and peace. Its first funding came from the United Kingdom's Department for International Development, and its initial research included the consequences of large-scale land acquisition and land-property rights in developing countries. The institute also examined global governance from the perspective of emerging powers and considered how international institutions could respond more effectively to problems that cross borders. A continuing strand of GGI's work has concerned cooperation between the European Union and the United Nations. This has included research on peace and security, crisis management, peacebuilding and international criminal justice. In 2015, GGI co-organized a Europe-wide consultation associated with the United Nations High-Level Independent Panel on Peace Operations. It also conducted projects on regional approaches to UN peace operations and EU–UN cooperation in peacebuilding. The institute subsequently expanded its research portfolio to include conflict prevention and mediation, protection of civilians, urban resilience and the relationship between local and global policymaking. Other areas developed over time include environmental governance, global economic governance, international justice and human rights, and the governance of artificial intelligence. Its Ukraine Programme addresses the European and international implications of Russia's war against Ukraine. Education and training became a second major institutional pillar. GGI established or joined collaborations with universities and specialist institutions, including the European University for Well-Being, the Belgian Royal Military Academy, the University of Warwick, Georgetown University, John Cabot University and Linnaeus University. It became a founding partner and Secretariat of the European Network on Teaching Excellence, while its Global Education & Innovation Unit supported initiatives focused on evidence-based teaching, institutional capacity and academic resilience. GGI's public-facing work includes open-access research, briefing papers, policy advice, workshops, consultations, traineeships, summer schools and the State of the Globe podcast. The organization describes its project funding as a combination of external grants and self-funded activity. Listed funding bodies and partners include European Union institutions, the European External Action Service, the European Parliament, the German and French ministries of defence, the Global Challenges Foundation and the Heinrich Böll Foundation. GGI states that it does not receive structural subsidy from any single organization or government. Its contemporary structure consists of a full-time management team, a board of directors and a network of more than 40 resident and non-resident fellows working from Brussels and across four continents.

• 2015

  Consultation on UN peace operations

  [1]Global Governance Instituteen.wikipedia.org

  GGI co-organized a Europe-wide consultation connected with the United Nations High-Level Independent Panel on Peace Operations.

• 2010

  Institute founded in Brussels

  [1]Global Governance Instituteen.wikipedia.org

  Joachim Koops, Christof Tatschl, Benedikt Franke and Aaron Leopold founded GGI as an independent Belgian nonprofit focused on global governance and the UN system.

• 2010

  Initial research and funding

  [1]Global Governance Instituteen.wikipedia.org

  The institute received initial support from the United Kingdom's Department for International Development and began work on sustainable development, human rights, peace, land rights and emerging powers.

• Expansion into education and teaching excellence

  [1]Global Governance Instituteen.wikipedia.org

  GGI became a founding partner and Secretariat of the European Network on Teaching Excellence and expanded its university and professional-training activities.

• Launch of State of the Globe podcast

  [2]Global Governance Institute official websiteglobalgovernance.eu

  GGI established the State of the Globe podcast to discuss governance responses to international challenges.

An independent, policy-oriented Brussels think tank specializing in the United Nations system, EU–UN relations and cross-border governance challenges, with an integrated focus on research, education, training and policy advice.

• Research · 2010

  Policy research and analysis

  GGI produces open-access analyses, studies and policy-oriented research on global governance. Topics span UN peace operations, peacebuilding, conflict prevention, mediation, international humanitarian law, protection of civilians, environmental governance, economic governance, higher education and artificial intelligence. The work is designed to connect academic inquiry with practical options for policymakers and institutional partners.

• Advisory services · 2010

  Policy advice and briefing papers

  The institute translates its research into briefing papers, policy reports and advice for public institutions, international organizations and other stakeholders. A recurring focus is the interaction between the European Union and United Nations, including cooperation in peacebuilding, crisis management and international security.

• Education and training

  Global Governance Traineeship

  The Global Governance Traineeship provides undergraduate and graduate students with exposure to policy research, education and institutional work on international governance. The scheme is supported through the European Union's Erasmus+ programme and forms part of GGI's effort to develop the next generation of global-policy practitioners.

• Podcast

  State of the Globe

  State of the Globe is GGI's podcast examining major global challenges and possible governance solutions. Its subject areas include peace and security, democracy and human rights, environmental governance, artificial intelligence governance and the global economy.

• Higher-education network

  European Network on Teaching Excellence

  GGI is a founding partner and serves as Secretariat for E-NOTE, a network focused on evidence-based excellence in higher-education teaching. The work supports training and institutional development for teachers, education staff and managers.

• Education and training

  Summer schools

  In cooperation with the Belgian Royal Military Academy, GGI runs an intensive programme on global peace, security and strategic studies. It also offers a shorter summer school examining artificial intelligence and global governance.

• 2015Europe-wide consultation on UN peace operations

  Europe · International

  GGI co-organized a Europe-wide consultation linked to the UN High-Level Independent Panel on Peace Operations, contributing to discussion of the future design and effectiveness of international peace operations.

  Outcome. The consultation formed part of the broader policy process surrounding the panel's work.

  Source
• Global Governance Traineeship

  European Union · International

  GGI operates a traineeship scheme for undergraduate and graduate students interested in global governance, research and policy practice.

  Outcome. The programme supports early-career engagement with the institute's research and education activities.

  Source

• 2010

  Adopted a UN-centered global-governance mandateStrategy

  Background

  The founders sought to establish a Brussels-based institute dedicated to global governance rather than a general foreign-policy or regional-affairs agenda.

  Action taken

  GGI was established as an independent nonprofit combining research, education and policy advice, with the United Nations system at the center of its work.

  Aftermath

  The mandate continued to shape the institute's work on EU–UN relations, peace operations, global justice and other transnational challenges.

  Source

• Expanded into global education and innovationStrategy

  Background

  Alongside its traditional research on peace, security and international institutions, GGI developed a broader education portfolio.

  Action taken

  The institute established collaborations involving teaching excellence, academic resilience, university networks, traineeships and summer schools.

  Aftermath

  Education and innovation became a continuing part of GGI's institutional profile, including its Secretariat role for E-NOTE and its hub role for EUniWell.

  Source

1. 1Global Governance Instituteen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Global Governance Institute official websiteglobalgovernance.eu