The global security environment is changing at a fast pace. Actors need to move from spending too much time reacting, to more proactively identifying the emerging security issues that may affect them.
The Strategic Anticipation Cluster encourages a forward-looking approach in international security policy amongst its wide group of stakeholders to support more effective strategic planning and better decision making today. It does so by focusing on three interrelated aspects:
- The development of a mindset of strategic anticipation,
- Examination of complementary techniques (such as leadership and communication) to integrate strategic anticipation in organisational contexts; and,
- Exposure to a variety of foresight methods.
Organisations must be prepared for a variety of possible threats and ready to take advantage of opportunities, both of which may appear in different forms than in the past and which will call for creative responses.
Tailor-made workshops on strategic anticipation and emerging security issues are organised in partnership with interested actors, drawing on GCSP’s extensive international network and experience in facilitating conversations on essential security policy topics.
Public events and policy analysis outputs raise awareness of the importance of harnessing insights about the future to increase the policy options we may consider today.
The cluster offers modules on strategic anticipation in GCSP courses throughout the year (for example/ Leadership in International Security, European Security Course, Crisis Management, Environment and Security) that place an emphasis on the importance of better anticipating threats and opportunities in international security and on skill development on the range of methods available in strategic foresight. These inputs vary from a few hours to multi-week simulations.
Since 2015, we also deliver an annual three-day course on “Strategic Foresight: Tools and Techniques for Planning in Uncertain Times”. This course interweaves discussions on emerging security issues, skill-building on strategic foresight methodologies, and exchange on techniques for institutions to better integrate a culture of strategic anticipation. Another course, “Emerging Issues in International Security”, examines the security implications of emerging issues related to technology, terrorism, health, and the environment – how these issues may intersect and the need for actors in international security to better anticipate the next emerging issues.
Through executive education opportunities, tailored workshops, policy analysis (see one example in this GCSP Strategic Security Analysis on Asian Water Security: A Present and Future Test), and public dialogue, the GCSP makes strategic anticipation in international security accessible and relevant to the different actors in the international community. This means specific, tailored inputs for government, international organisations, and civil society but also opportunities for sharing of experiences and approaches across the public and private sectors from around the world. Please contact us directly if you would like to explore opportunities to collaborate.
