Alena Kudzko

Alena Kudzko is Director of the GLOBSEC Policy Institute think tank in Bratislava where she oversees policy development, research, and programming in the areas of defence and security, the future of Europe, global order, technology and society, and strategic communication.

Her current research focus is concentrated on European and transatlantic relations and security, including the reform of security institutions and the EU, and migration. As part of the broader GLOBSEC team, Alena, moreover, contributes to formulating the vision, crafting the agenda, conducting research, and organizing the annual GLOBSEC Bratislava Forum, the GLOBSEC Tatra Summit, and the GLOBSEC Chateau Bela Conference.

Before joining GLOBSEC, she worked at various NGOs and academic institutions in Belarus, Estonia, and Hungary, specializing in the area of foreign relations, democratization, and community development. She further conducted research and project work with civil society organizations on the implementation and strengthening of liberal democratic norms and human rights.

Alena graduated with honours and as the Outstanding Academic Achievement Award winner from Central European University with a Master’s degree in International Relations and European Studies. She previously studied international politics, languages and music at California State University, Bakersfield (as a U.S. State Department Global Undergraduate Fellow), Belarusian State University in Minsk, and the Estonian School of Diplomacy in Tallinn.