How can research at our university contribute to understanding and addressing the complex security and safety challenges of our time? Around fifty researchers from all Leiden faculties came together in The Hague to kick-off the interfaculty research theme 'Security' to discuss these challenges and contributions.
On Friday 30 October, researchers connected to the security theme set out to explore opportunities for collaboration and to showcase the wide range of security related research already taking place. By delivering in total fourteen pitches, they demonstrated that security extends far beyond traditional notions of defense and conflict. Above all, research on security necessitates us to think through what it is that we are protecting and how our research contributes to that.
Accoring to theme chair Sanneke Kuipers (FGGA), 'the key is that we study this theme from the perspective of protection. Our academic endeavors contribute to protecting individuals, communities, institutions, values, actors, networks, states, and infrastructures from harm. For instance, in my own study of crisis governance, it is extremely important not to lose sight of what it is that crisis managers aim to protect - it is all too easy to lose sight of trust, legitimacy, legality, and democratic values when trying to fix a public health crisis, to de-escalate a violent protest, or to respond to a terrorist threat.'
Welcome by theme chair Sanneke Kuipers (FGGA) 
Pitches by researchers on security, safety and protection 
Kick-off research theme 'Security'
Research topics
Topics ranged from climate and energy security to disaster response, social and technological protection, and societal resilience. The pitches demonstrated a shared focus on the transboundary nature of the protection challenges, with attention for international dynamics, interdependencies, and networks. Many researchers highlighted in their research the role of the state, and the politics of detection: identifying what is under threat and what needs protection. Further, many presentations underlined that protection is related to legitimacy of public institutions, one way or another. Geopolitical challenges, climate change and the role of advanced technology (including AI), require a multi-pronged approach to the nature of threats: ranging from systemic failure and natural disasters to technological breakdown and adversarial intentions (including hybrid warfare and terrorism).
Interdisciplinary collaboration
The main recurring theme throughout the afternoon was the need for interdisciplinary collaboration, and also a willingness to work towards prescription: how can joint research contribute to safer societies. Many contemporary security challenges are interconnected and cannot be understood from a single disciplinary perspective. By bringing together expertise from different fields, researchers can better understand the systemic effects of emerging threats and work towards more integrated solutions. Kuipers: 'The aim is to get to know one another better and gain a clearer understanding of the wide range of research and teaching we do, and the activities (including joint grant applications and projects, public events, accreditation or review panels, scholarly symposia, and doctoral committees) that can connect us.'
Bringing together researchers from all Leiden faculties 
Bringing together researchers from all Leiden faculties 
Bringing together researchers from all Leiden faculties
Initiatives
Within the research theme, three initiatives are set up to foster collaboration and show what is done on security research:
- Seed funding. A small budget that becomes available for initiatives around the security research theme. Think of one day events or interfaculty collaborations.
- Podcast. In 2027 the theme is setting up a podcast on safety and security issues in society and how research helps to understand and respond to these issues.
- 2 central events for the theme per year to bring Leiden researchers together on the theme
