Dr Claudia Major

Head of Research Division, International Security Division

German Institute for International and Security Affairs, Germany

Dr Claudia Major is one of Germany’s best-known security policy experts, whose analyses are in demand by the German government, the Bundestag and the media. She heads the security policy research group at the renowned Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP) in Berlin.

She researches, advises and publishes on security and defense policy issues in Germany, Europe and in the transatlantic context. Her expertise lies in particular in the area of German security and defense policy and the classification of political events with reference to NATO and the EU.

Previous positions in her professional career include the Center for Security Studies at ETH Zurich, the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP), the EU Institute for Security Studies (Paris), the NATO Department of the German Foreign Office, and Sciences Po Paris. Claudia is also a member of various committees, such as the Advisory Board Civilian Crisis Prevention of the German Foreign Office and the German-British Königswinter Conference. She holds a diploma from the Free University of Berlin and Sciences Po Paris and a PhD from the University of Birmingham (UK).

Claudia was made a Knight of the French Order of Merit (Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite).