Susana Ferreira, Professor in the Department of International Relations at Universidad Antonio de Nebrija (Madrid), and Frank Mattheis, Research Fellow at the United Nations University Institute on Comparative Regional Integration Studies(UNU-CRIS),are the winners of the first edition of the FLAD Atlantic Security Award. Researchers will receive €20,000 each to develop a research project framed in the current challenges of Security and Defence in the Atlantic area.

The FLAD Atlantic Security Award is a partnership between FLAD, the Atlantic Center and the National Defense Institute, which aims to stimulate and distinguish research of excellence in the themes of Security and Defense in the Atlantic.

The award is annual and distinguishes two proposals of high scientific merit dedicated to these themes. The winners receive funding of €20,000 to develop their projects between March and December 2022.

Susana Ferreira is professor in the Department of International Relations at universidad Antonio de Nebrija (Madrid) and won the award with the project “The transformation of border regimes in the Atlantic. From securitisation to a human-centred approach in South-western Europe”, which aims to assess how the European process of outsourcing borders affects the maritime security of the Member States of the European Union and the safety of migrants. The project aims to develop a little studied area of border regimes and their impact on neighbouring countries and third countries, with a particular focus on the reality of the Atlantic.

The jury highlighted the solid academic career and the evidence given of autonomy and excellence of research in a theme of central relevance to the Atlantic security of Susana Ferreira, and the transversal relevance of the project that presented the competition.

“The project addresses a cross-cutting issue for north Atlantic and South Atlantic countries, including the migration regimes in place between the African and European continent, the new migratory routes in the Atlantic and the impact of managing migration flows on the human security of the communities of this area. This application thus fits into the security and defence challenges of the Atlantic area, considering the consequences of outsourcing the European Union’s border processes in the internal and regional policies of transit and origin countries.”

The other winner was Frank Mattheis, Research Fellow at the United Nations University Institute on Comparative Regional Integration Studies (UNU-CRIS), with the project “Maritime Regional Security Mechanisms in the Atlantic: A Comparative Study”, a comparative study of maritime safety mechanisms in eleven different regional organizations, which seeks to understand what motivates the creation of the different safety mechanisms. The project will help to promote greater cooperation between regional organisations in detecting the first signs of conflict in the Atlantic, preventing increased violence. The project presented by the German researcher was highlighted by the jury not only for its relevance and originality in the matters of security and defense of the Atlantic area, but also for the ability to generate results in the future.

“The project presented fully meets the proposed objectives, in particular its relevance and originality in security and defence matters in the Atlantic area and defines research objectives and milestones that provide guarantees for the production of relevant knowledge for security and defence action. The scientific production foreseen in this project includes innovative results, which will have a multiplier and beneficial effect for the institutions promoting the Prize, in their mission to promote knowledge and cooperation around the Atlantic.”

The FLAD Atlantic Security Award is an annual award, resulting from the partnership between FLAD and the Atlantic Center. Applications are open to people of all nationalities. In one of the scholarships is given preference to a candidate Portuguese.

Atlantic Center its an iniative of the Portuguese Government, developed by the Ministry of Defense, dedicated to promote security and cooperation across the Atlantic and it’s open to the participation of all States and multilateral instituions of this regions. It’s activities are centered around political dialogue, scientific research and defense capacity building.

The National Defense Institute (IDN) has as its main mission the support for the formulation of national strategic thinking, ensuring the study, investigation and dissemination of security and defense issues. The National Defense Institute is a part of the Ministry of Defense since 1982, and has scientific, pedagogical and administrative autonomy.