GCSP Alumni Event | Global Alumni Networking Night (GANN)

Information

Worldwide,

05 November 2026
09h00 - 17h00 Add to calendar

Registration is open

Connect. Learn. Network.

5 November 2026

For the 10th edition of the GANN, alumni can take part in two complementary parts of the programme:

1 — Global Thematic Programme
Attend five live virtual sessions with GCSP experts throughout the day.

2 — Global Networking Night
Join fellow GCSP Alumni in a local destination around the world for an in-person networking event.

Choose how you want to participate:

Join one or more of the five virtual sessions:

10:00–11:00 – You, Me, and Claude – Leadership in the AI era | Mr Peter Cunningham
Many organisations have AI policies, fewer have fully formed strategies, and fewer still have the culture that turns them into practice. This will be an interactive workshop built around a short strategic AI readiness diagnostic covering aspects such as: policy versus practice, shadow AI, strategic literacy, decision culture, and where AI actually adds mission value.

11:15–12:15 – Counterterrorism and PVE | Dr Christina Schori Liang
Artificial intelligence (AI) is exacerbating existing trends in terrorism and violent extremism by enabling the rapid production and dissemination of misinformation, disinformation, synthetic content, and other inauthentic material at unprecedented scale. These developments are creating increasingly complex challenges for those working to prevent and counter violent extremism (P/CVE). At the same time, extremist actors are exploiting gaming platforms and gaming culture to disseminate narratives, build communities, and potentially facilitate radicalization and recruitment. This session will explore the evolving nexus between AI, gaming, and extremism, examining the challenges these developments present for policymakers, technology companies, civil society, and PCVE practitioners.

13:30–14:30 – Interactive Workshop on Uncertainties in International Security | Ms Emily Munro
You are operating in a fast-moving and complex international environment, where immediate pressures often leave little time to step back and consider what may lie ahead. Join us for an hour to explore how the international peace and security landscape could evolve towards 2040 — and what this might mean for your work today and for the GCSP. Drawing on the diverse geographical, professional and institutional perspectives of GCSP Alumni, the session will explore key uncertainties and introduce a simple framework for thinking about them.
Following a brief introduction to strategic foresight and a look at global strategic trends, we will move into an interactive collective reflection on the uncertainties that could shape international security in the years ahead. The aim is not to predict the future, but to broaden perspectives, challenge assumptions and consider implications for decisions today. You will leave with new perspectives from across the GCSP Alumni Community, a practical way to structure foresight conversations, and ideas you can apply to your own work.

14:45–15:45 – Current Challenges in Arms Control and Disarmament | Mr Simon Cleobury
This session will discuss the current challenges to arms control and disarmament, covering the geopolitical context, the impact of new technologies, and the prospects for future agreements. It will also be an opportunity to showcase the GCSP’s Arms Control and Disarmament Cluster work - courses, workshops, publications, and private diplomacy.

16:00–17:00 – The security and geopolitical implications of AI and other emerging technologies | Dr Jean-Marc Rickli
Recent advances in artificial intelligence driven by growing computing powers, rising amount of generated data and improvement of machine learning algorithms have led to major breakthroughs. The speed of this technological growth is exponential, and the proliferation of this technology is both horizontal (across states) vertical (from state to non-state actors). This implies that the risk of misuses and more importantly malicious uses cannot be excluded. Furthermore, the growing digitalization of our world, impacts the distribution of global power and geopolitics. The geopolitics of digitalization demonstrates a bipolarization in the production of emerging technologies between the USA and China. In a time of growing geopolitical polarization, the risk of global technological decoupling is increasing accordingly.

We are happy to share that we have some new destinations for this 10th edition of the GANN!

Our destinations for 2026 are the following:

You can participate in one or both parts of the GANN. Registration for the thematic programme and the networking destination are separate.

Registrations for the in-person networking will close one week before the event.

We are grateful to the GCSP Alumni Community Hubs and the Swiss representations abroad for their contributions to the local events.