Belgrade Security and Intelligence Forum (BSIF), organized by the Institute for National and International Security (INIS)
The Belgrade Security and Intelligence Forum (BSIF) stands apart as a uniquely structured conference designed exclusively for professionals whose core work, academic research, and vocational commitment lie in Security, Defence, Counter-Terrorism, Intelligence, and Counterintelligence. Unlike many widely known security forums around the world—often dominated by diplomats, political actors, NGOs, media, or advocacy groups—BSIF is deliberately constructed for those who operate within the professional security domain.
Its format is intentionally different: intensely focused, expert-driven, and grounded in the discipline of Security Science. All panels, round-tables, and closed-door exchanges are reserved for individuals with operational experience, academic expertise, or strategic responsibility within national or international security structures.
Naturally, the field of security attracts significant public interest. Security affects every aspect of society, and therefore, many wish to participate in discussions about it. However, when essential security questions are shaped, influenced, or publicly interpreted primarily by those who are not trained, competent, or professionally responsible for this domain, it becomes dangerous—not only for the stability of the state and its institutions, but directly for human lives on the ground.
That is why BSIF is founded on a clear principle: security must be led, analysed, and shaped by security professionals. Only specialists—practitioners, scholars, intelligence officers, defence experts, analysts, and counter-terrorism professionals—possess the methodological rigour, domain knowledge, and ethical responsibility required to assess threats and craft responses that safeguard society.
For this reason, BSIF’s format is not unique but essential. It ensures that every conclusion and recommendation emerges from those who truly understand the complexity of security operations, thereby providing a level of depth, accuracy, and responsibility that generalist forums cannot offer.
Background & Purpose
- The BSIF Forum took place in Belgrade from 27 to 29 March 2025.
- The BSIF is designed as a dedicated platform for professors, scientists, and experts in security, intelligence, defense, and counter-terrorism.
- The aim is to bring together knowledge, experience, and insight from across countries and institutions to address current internal and external threats, risk factors, and future security dynamics. A key conceptual underpinning: BSIF emphasizes that Security Science is a genuine discipline — with its own methods and theory — and argues that one cannot conduct credible studies in security, defence or intelligence without grounding in that discipline.
- In addition to the scientific-theoretical dimension, BSIF emphasizes the role and position of women within the national security system.
Structure & Format
- The programme included:
- High-level panel discussions on stage, involving international academics and practitioners.
- Round tables governed by the Chatham House Rule (i.e., enabling more open discussion). Numerous bilateral meetings (one-to-one or small-group) facilitate networking, partnership development, and deeper thematic exchanges.
- The Forum’s design thus combines formal presentations with interactive and semi-structured networking dynamics — aiming to generate the “synergy of knowledge and experience” across borders and disciplines.
Participation & Partners
- At the 2025 edition, the Forum featured over 25 speakers from various countries and attracted over 100 visitors. Key partners/co-organizers included several universities, institutes, and security forums, such as:
- University of Warsaw (Poland)
- Zagreb Security Forum (Croatia)
- Kraków Security Forum (Poland)
- Óbuda University (Hungary)
- Lviv University (Ukraine)
- Research Institute for European and American Studies (RIEAS) (Greece)
- Others from Italy, Israel, Slovenia, North Macedonia, Uzbekistan and Serbia.
- The international dimension is emphasized: the Forum intends to transcend purely national perspectives and engage multi-regional expertise.
Thematic Focus & Relevance
- The Forum addresses contemporary security challenges: internal threats, external risk factors, intelligence‐defense interplay, hybrid threats, cyber/information operations, etc. (though the specifics of each panel were not fully detailed in the source).
- By emphasizing Security Science, BSIF seeks to elevate the discussion from an ad-hoc event to a structured academic discipline, making the event relevant both for practitioners (intelligence, defence) and scholars.
- For professionals and institutions (such as yours, given your involvement with INIS), the Forum offers a venue for:
- Presenting research or operational insights to an international audience.
- Networking across academic, governmental and think-tank sectors.
- Engaging with emerging issues (e.g., intelligence studies, counter-terrorism, defence cooperation, regional security) in a multi-disciplinary setting.
- The special attention to the role of women in national security systems also reflects a modern and inclusive approach to security studies.
