Clingendael Institute

The Netherlands Institute of International Relations ‘Clingendael’ was founded in 1983. It is the result of a merger between five smaller institutes, all of which were active in the field of international relations.
The focus of Clingendael has always been a combination of research and training. The institute has always benefitted from the synergy between these two disciplines. Over the years, the Clingendael Institute, as it is usually referred to, has developed into a renowned platform of knowledge on international affairs, connected to a vast global network of other centres of expertise.
Clingendaels main areas of expertise have  always been international security and Europe. Specific topics can vary, since Clingendael staff also follow and analyze current trends and developments. Themes that have been covered over the years are transatlantic relations and  foreign policy of the US, Russia, terrorism, causes of conflict, fragile states, the UN, NATO, and Europe. At a later stage diplomacy became a separate field of interest.

Nowadays Clingendael focuses on conflict management, crisis control and negotiation techniques, developments within the European Union and the Euro zone, the rule of law, terrorism, sustainability, and economic diplomacy, as well as on specific regions and countries, like Asia, the Middle East, Sudan, and China.

In 2001 the Clingendael International Energy Programme (CIEP) was established. Formerly positioned under the ‘Clingendael umbrella’, in recent years it has become an independent research institute.