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Researcher

Niels Nagelhus Schia

Research Professor, Head of the Research group on security and defense, Head of NUPI's Research Centere on New Technology
Niels_Nagelhus_Schia_11.jpg

Contactinfo and files

nns@nupi.no
(+47) 90 40 12 01
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Summary

Niels Nagelhus Schia is a research professor specializing in the intersection of new technology and international relations. He leads the Research group on security and defense at NUPI, and co-manages the institute’s Research Centre for New Technology. With a PhD in social anthropology from the University of Oslo and a fellowship from the New School for Social Research (NSSR), Schia combines deep academic insight with practical experience in global policymaking.

Schia has chaired prominent initiatives such as the Norwegian government's expert group on AI, democracy, and elections (2024–2025), he served as co-coordinator for the reference group on Norway's role in the UN Security Council (2021–2022), and he has been the project leader of several larger research projects. A former Fulbright scholar and board member of the Fulbright Association in Norway, he is also a longstanding contributor to international conferences, United Nations discussions, and working groups.

Beyond his research, Schia is deeply engaged in shaping the global academic and policy landscape. He was co-editor of Internasjonal Politikk, the leading Scandinavian journal on international relations, for nearly a decade (2017–2025). He serves as a member of the Holberg Debate working group, the advisory council of the United Nations Association of Norway, and other forums dedicated to advancing knowledge and dialogue in his field.

Expertise

  • Cyber
  • Development policy
  • Diplomacy
  • Foreign policy
  • Africa
  • Peace operations
  • International organizations
  • United Nations

Education

2015 PhD, Social Antropology, University of Oslo

2004 Cand.polit., Social anthropology, University of Oslo

Work Experience

2022- Head of NUPI's Research group on security and defence

2017- Co-editor of the leading Scandinavian-language International Relations-journal Internasjonal Politikk

2015- Head, NUPI's Cyber Security Centre. 2010 Advisor, Civil Affairs, Policy Best Practices Services (PBPS), UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations, New York HQ

2009 Visiting scholar at The New School for Social Research, New York, Leiv Eiriksson mobility programme (The Research Council of Norway) and Fulbright Scholar

2003- Research Assistant / Research Fellow / Senior Research Fellow/Research Professor, NUPI

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2012-2016 Board member Fulbright Alumni Association of Norway

2013-2016 Head of Scientific Committee for Fulbright annual research award

Aktivitet

Estonian representative speaking at the UN Security Council in 2020
Research Project
2020 - 2021 (Completed)

Defending and renewing multilateralism: Estonia and Norway in the UN Security Council

This project will explore possibilities to enhance Estonian-Norwegian bilateral cooperation in promoting multilateral cooperation and a rules-based global order in the framework of the United Nations ...

  • Security policy
  • Globalisation
  • Diplomacy
  • Foreign policy
  • Europe
  • The Nordic countries
  • Climate
  • Governance
  • International organizations
  • United Nations
  • Security policy
  • Globalisation
  • Diplomacy
  • Foreign policy
  • Europe
  • The Nordic countries
  • Climate
  • Governance
  • International organizations
  • United Nations
Media
Media
Media

Aftenposten Forklart - Hva skal Norge bruke plassen i FNs Sikkerhetsråd til?

After 13 years of election campaign and NOK 29 million, Norway joins the UN Security Council. What should Norway use that seat for, is this important for Norway, and can we have influence in the Security Council as an elected member without the veto power? NUPI’s senior research fellow Niels Nagelhus Schia addresses these questions in this Aftenposten Explained podcast episode.

  • Diplomacy
  • Foreign policy
  • International organizations
  • United Nations
  • Diplomacy
  • Foreign policy
  • International organizations
  • United Nations
Media
Media
Media

Dagsnytt 18 - Norge inn i Sikkerhetsrådet

Norge sikret seg en plass i FNs Sikkerhetsråd i perioden 2021-2022. NUPI forsker Niels Nagelhus Schia, Utenriksminister Ine Marie Eriksen Søreide og Janne Haaland Matlary møttes i Dagsnytt 18 for å snakke om valget, hvorfor denne plassen er interessant for Norge, hvilke dilemmaer Norge vil møte vis-a-vis stormaktene, samt hvordan og på hvilke områder vi kan ha innflytelse i Sikkerhetsrådet i de to årene vi skal sitte der.

  • Diplomacy
  • Foreign policy
  • International organizations
  • United Nations
  • Diplomacy
  • Foreign policy
  • International organizations
  • United Nations
Media
Media
Media

Norge holder pusten foran FN-avgjørelse

Norge ruster seg til den aller siste innspurten i kampen om et sete i FNs sikkerhetsråd. Å tape blir et antiklimaks, fastslår forsker.

  • Diplomacy
  • Foreign policy
  • International organizations
  • United Nations
  • Diplomacy
  • Foreign policy
  • International organizations
  • United Nations
Media
Media
Media

Politisk Kvarter - Norge vil inn i FNs Sikkerhetsråd, men hvorfor?

(Interview in Norwegian): NUPI-forsker Niels Nagelhus Schia og Utenriksminister Ine Marie Eriksen Søreide om det norske kandidaturet til FNs Sikkerhetsråd, hvorfor er dette interessant for Norge? Hvilke dilemmaer vil Norge møte i forhold til stormaktene? Hvilke land konkurrerer Norge med?

  • Diplomacy
  • Foreign policy
  • International organizations
  • United Nations
  • Diplomacy
  • Foreign policy
  • International organizations
  • United Nations
Media
Media
Media

Kjemper om en plass i FNs Sikkerhetsråd

Wednesday 17 June 2020 we will know if Norway gets one of the two available seats that we are fighting for in the UN Security Council. What does this involve and why should Norway sit around the horseshoe table? Senior researcher Niels Nagelhus Schia was interviewed about this on NRK News.

  • Diplomacy
  • Foreign policy
  • International organizations
  • United Nations
  • Diplomacy
  • Foreign policy
  • International organizations
  • United Nations
Publications
Publications
Chapter

The role of the UN Security Council in cybersecurity: international peace and security in the digital age

At the 75th anniversary of the United Nations, the UN Security Council is faced with difficult questions about its efficacy, relevance and legitimacy. The leading powers and the permanent members (P5) of the Security Council – China, France, Russia, the UK and the USA – are drawn into a heavy contest over the world order. Power lines are (to be) drawn in an increasingly digital, interconnected and multi-stakeholder society. So far, despite the language from heads of states, global media houses and from leaders of international organizations including NATO and the UN, none of the P5 countries have brought cyber to the UNSC. Other countries – for instance, Lithuania and the Netherlands – have considered introducing cybersecurity issues in the Council, but no action has followed. One of the most recent members-elect, Estonia, has pledged to take the issue up. To stay relevant and act up on its responsibility for international peace and security, the Security Council will have to establish itself vis-à-vis cyber issues. The goal of this chapter is to examine why and how. To what extent do questions pertaining to digital threats and cybersecurity fall within the mandate of the Council and what could it address given the politically tense times among the P5.

  • Security policy
  • Cyber
  • Foreign policy
  • Governance
  • United Nations
  • Security policy
  • Cyber
  • Foreign policy
  • Governance
  • United Nations
Event
12:00 - 13:30
NUPI
Engelsk
Event
12:00 - 13:30
NUPI
Engelsk
31. Oct 2019
Event
12:00 - 13:30
NUPI
Engelsk

Theory Seminar: Cyber Conflict in the study of International Relations

Max Smeets will take a closer look at the academic literature on analysing cyber conflict.

Publications
Publications
Scientific article

Cybersikkerhet

(In Norwegian only) Den teknologiske utviklingen og framveksten av digitale nettverk har ført til noen av de mest dramatiske endringene vi har sett på flere generasjoner. Dette gjelder både endringer i sosial samhandling, men også endringer i den mer generelle samfunnsmessige utviklingen. Disse framskrittene har også hatt viktige implikasjoner for sikkerhetspolitikk, internasjonal politikk og forhold mellom stormakter. I fokusspalten i dette nummeret av Internasjonal Politikk har vi invitert samfunnsvitere til å belyse hvordan cybersikkerhet bidrar til å endre forhold mellom stater og internasjonale organisasjoner samt internasjonal politikk.

  • Cyber
  • International organizations
  • Cyber
  • International organizations
Publications
Publications
Scientific article

Neumann, NUPI og utenriksdebatten

(In Norwegian only) Iver B. Neumann begynte på NUPI i 1988. Etter tre tiår som NUPI-forsker (riktignok med en periode som Montague Burton-Professor i International Relations på LSE i London) meldte han i 2018 overgang til OsloMet. Med NUPI som plattform har Neumann satt et solid fotavtrykk i norsk offentlighet, og han er i dag en av Norges mest profilerte og internasjonalt anerkjente forskere på utenriks- og internasjonal politikk. Han er hyppig sitert, og er blant de 20 norske forskerne som publiserer mest ifølge CRISTIN-registeret.1 Han er særlig opptatt av norsk utenrikspolitisk historie, identitet, diplomati og Russland.

  • Diplomacy
  • Foreign policy
  • Diplomacy
  • Foreign policy
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