LUCIR Event
Can international cooperation survive a changing world?
- Date
- Thursday 10 September 2026
- Time
- Location
-
Wijnhaven
Turfmarkt 99
2511 DP The Hague - Room
- 2.02
To start off the academic year, LUCIR warmly invites students, faculty, and interested others, to its annual start-of-the-year event. There will be a keynote by Prof. Hylke Dijkstra, Maastricht University Europe Chair and Professor of International Security and Cooperation:
Can international cooperation survive a changing world?
International organizations are under pressure. As geopolitical tensions rise and global crises multiply, institutions that once seemed indispensable are increasingly questioned. Yet history suggests that moments of uncertainty are nothing new. Across the past two centuries, some international organizations have adapted and endured, while others have quietly disappeared.
In this opening keynote, Hylke Dijkstra, , explores what determines the fate of international organizations—and what these long-term lessons can tell us about today's rapidly changing world. Drawing on historical evidence spanning more than 200 years and connecting it to today's policy challenges, he asks a timely question: what can Europe do to strengthen international cooperation at a moment when the rules-based international order is under strain?
Bridging history, politics, and policy, this keynote offers a fresh perspective on one of the defining questions of our time: how can international cooperation remain effective in an era of fragmentation? Whether you are a student seeking to understand today's world, a researcher interested in global governance, or a policymaker grappling with tomorrow's challenges, this lecture promises to challenge assumptions and inspire discussion.
Speaker bio
Prof. Dr. Hylke Dijkstra is the Maastricht University Europe Chair and Professor of International Security and Cooperation (Hoogleraar in Internationale Veiligheid en Samenwerking). He is an expert in European affairs, European security, multilateralism and international organizations. He studies how increasing geopolitics affects prospects for international cooperation, and what this means for Europe.