Message from the Co-Founders

Since its inception in early 2002, the Prague Security Studies Institute (PSSI) has endeavored to serve as a valuable resource in the field of security policy and studies. It is also dedicated to identifying and analyzing a broad range of security-related challenges facing the post-communist states and transatlantic community of nations.

Taking advantage of Prague’s central location and unique history, the Institute has not only become a training and academic hub for talented young Czech students and professionals, but those of the region as well. Its conferences, workshops and roundtables have been addressing topical, 21st century security issues for nearly a decade and have attracted highly respected and well-known participants and speakers from across the globe.

Our Regional Outreach Program is designed to provide institutional models for students and other like-minded regional groups that aspire to engage in democratic institution-building and otherwise contribute to the security policy debates within their respective countries.

The Institute has also taken advantage of the insights and rich experiences of business-statesmen from the private sector who have not only given their valuable time but also new career opportunities for our graduating Security Scholars (often under the banner of our Corporate Council Program).

To advance its mission, PSSI has established four core programs – Security Scholars Program, Program of Atlantic Security Studies (PASS), Regional Outreach Program and Corporate Council Program. These institutional pillars have permitted the Institute to:

  • engage in the security-minded education and training of generations of regional university undergraduate and graduate students (particularly those of Charles University in Prague) under the auspices of its Robinson-Martin Security Scholars Program;
  • establish and sponsor a Master’s Degree program in Security Studies at Charles University to serve as a force-multipier for its indigenous academic courses and attract English-speaking MA candidates from abroad
  • become a security policy and academic hub where students can informally interact with high-level current and former policy practitioners from around the world;
  • institutionalize the James Q. Whitaker Lecture Series within the Faculty of Social Sciences at Charles University:
  • facilitate the integration of the fine minds of private sector executives into the life of the Institute often through its Corporate Council Program;
  • develop a close relationship with the Czech Foreign Ministry in the structuring of an effective Regional Outreach Program;
  • hold world-class conferences and roundtables, bolstered by the associated research and publications, under our Program of Atlantic Security Studies;
  • partner with NATO over the past seven years in the convening of a NATO Summer School for highly-qualified graduate students from NATO member and partner states
  • establish an affiliate organization in Washington D.C., PSSI Washington, that is a designated tax-exempt 501(c)(3) – the first of its kind for a Czech security-oriented public policy group.

As we go forward, we will continue to take full advantage of the extraordinary backgrounds and skill sets of our distinguished International Advisory Board, Board of Directors and Executive Committee members as well as the innovative ideas and recommendations of our many generous supporters and donors. Although our mission is clear, PSSI prides itself in maintaining an open architecture that permits us to promptly address breaking developments in the global security environment and make the necessary programmatic adjustments to do so. We welcome and respect a wide spectrum of views and opinions in the area of security policy, while remaining committed to our underlying philosophy of peace through strength.

Oldřich Černý, PSSI Co-Founder & Executive Director

Roger W. Robinson Jr., PSSI Co-Founder