President: Prof. Dr. Iztok Prezelj


Prof. Dr. Iztok Prezelj is a Professor at the Chair of Defence Studies at the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ljubljana, and the Head of the Defence Research Centre. He served as Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences (2021–2025) and previously as Vice-Dean for Research (2017–2021) and Head of the Institute of Social Sciences, which brings together 20 research centres. From 2015 to 2017, he was the Head of the Chair of Defence Studies. He earned his PhD in 2004 at the University of Ljubljana with a dissertation on Crisis Management.

He has served as a guest researcher or lecturer at several renowned institutions, including Princeton University (2017, 2018, 2019), Leiden University (2017), the University of Sarajevo (2012), the University of Vienna (2013, 2015), and the WEU Institute for Security Studies in Paris (1997). In 2014, he was Adjunct Professor in the Program on Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism (PTSS) at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

In Slovenia, Prof. Prezelj has participated in several governmental interagency working groups on security issues and lectured on national and international security topics at the Command and Staff School of the Slovenian Armed Forces (2000–2010), including at General and Senior Staff levels.

He has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals and edited volumes on security, defense, terrorism, and regional stability. His work includes articles, books, and teaching at both the University of Ljubljana and the Faculty of Criminal Justice and Security, University of Maribor. He has also led multiple national research projects and coordinated Slovenian participation in international research consortia.

Prof. Prezelj regularly provides expert commentary on security issues for national and international media outlets. He currently serves on the editorial boards of several academic journals, including:

    • Risk, Hazards & Crisis in Public Policy
    • Journal of Criminal Justice and Security
    • Security, Terrorism and Society (Sicurezza, Terrorismo e Società)

Selected publication
Confidence and Security-Building Measures in Europe at a Crossroads
NOMOS, Baden-Baden, 2018
ISBN: 978-3-8487-4670-5 | eISBN: 978-3-8452-8897-0
Available at: Nomos eLibrary

More information:
Prof. Dr. Iztok Prezelj – University Profile