Sven Biscop (be)

Prof. Dr. Sven Biscop (born in Willebroek, Belgium in 1976) read political sciences and obtained his PhD at Ghent University, where today he is a professor, lecturing on grand strategy and great powers, and on Belgian foreign and defence policy. In addition, he is the Director of the Europe in the World Programme at the Egmont – Royal Institute for International Relations in Brussels, the think-tank associated with the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Since 1 October 2025, he also is the acting Director-General of the Institute.

Sven is a Member of the Royal Academy for Overseas Sciences of Belgium, and an Honorary Fellow of the European Security and Defence College (ESDC). He is a regular speaker at the Royal Military Academy in Brussels and at the People’s University of China in Beijing, where he is a Senior Research Fellow. His two latest books are Grand Strategy in 10 Words - A Guide to Great Power Politics in the 21st Century(Bristol University Press, 2021) and This Is Not a New World Order - Europe Rediscovers Geopolitics, From Ukraine to Taiwan (Owl Press, 2024).

Sven has been honoured with the cross of Commander of the Order of the Crown of the Kingdom of Belgium and the Grand Decoration of Honour of the Republic of Austria. Sven lives in Brussels with his Taiwanese-Belgian husband Aberu, amidst a great many books, military paraphernalia, and chinoiseries. Unfortunately they travel too often to keep a cat.