Gerlinde Groitl is a political scientist who has completed her habilitation, specialising in the USA, security and defence policy, strategic studies and great power rivalry. She heads the ISS Institute for Security and Strategy in Munich and teaches international politics at the University of Regensburg. She previously held posts at the Universities of Freiburg and Passau. Her academic visits have taken her to, amongst others, Johns Hopkins University, the London School of Economics and Masaryk University in Brno, the Czech Republic.
“I am delighted to have been awarded the Helmut Schmidt Visiting Professorship at Johns Hopkins University (JHU) in Washington, DC. Unfortunately, security and strategy studies still lead a niche existence at universities in Germany, whereas in the US capital there is an incredible concentration of excellent colleagues and programmes in this field at universities and think tanks,” says Gerlinde Groitl. “The Kissinger Centre at JHU, where the visiting chair is based, brings together the expertise of political scientists and historians who take a practical approach to the problems of international politics that political decision-makers are grappling with today. It is the ideal place to engage with American global policy, European security, transatlantic relations and the future of the West in these times.”
Expert in security and defence policy
“In Gerlinde Groitl, we have once again succeeded in securing a renowned expert in security and defence policy as well as transatlantic relations for the Helmut Schmidt Professorship. She will contribute her expertise at one of the leading research universities in the United States and strengthen transatlantic academic dialogue during these challenging times. Her perspectives on geopolitical and strategic issues will provide important impetus for the current debate on security policy,” said Professor Dr Joybrato Mukherjee, President of the DAAD.
Helmut Schmidt Visiting Professorship
The Helmut Schmidt Visiting Professorship at the ‘Henry A. Kissinger Centre for Global Affairs’ at the ‘Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies’ (SAIS) has been funded by the DAAD since 2018 with funding from the Federal Foreign Office. The visiting professorship was established in honour of the former German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt and commemorates his friendship with the former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. The visiting professorship is held by a researcher from a German university or research institution and promotes transatlantic academic cooperation. In addition to the visiting professorship, the DAAD supports two postdoctoral positions at the university. It also funds publications and events, including a conference in Germany.
Johns Hopkins University
Founded in 1876, Johns Hopkins University is one of the most prestigious academic institutions in the USA and boasts links to some 30 Nobel laureates. The ‘School of Advanced International Studies’ (SAIS) is part of the university and provides Master’s and PhD students at its campuses in Bologna (Italy), Nanjing (China) and Washington, D.C. (USA) with a comprehensive perspective on international relations and the challenges of a globalised world. The ‘Henry A. Kissinger Centre for Global Affairs’, founded in 2016, brings together internationally renowned scholars from the fields of foreign policy and international security. The Centre’s current research topics include the return of great power politics, China, and the impact of new threats such as climate change, artificial intelligence and cyber warfare on international relations.
Further links & contact
Gerlinde Groitl (external link, opens in a new window) (external link, opens in a new window)
DAAD programme information
https://kissinger.sais.jhu.edu/programs/daad-program/ (external link, opens in a new window)
