Who is...?
Laura Jasper

About the The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies (HCSS)

HCSS is a knowledge institute that conducts independent research on geopolitical, defence & security issues. Our goal is to offer fact-based analysis of the challenges that our societies face in order to inform public discourse, public and private strategic decision making and contribute to international and national security in accordance with liberal democratic values.

For almost 20 years HCSS has operated at the intersection of academic research and strategic policy. Through rigorous analysis grounded in empirical evidence, we support informed public debate and strategic decision-making in both the public and private sectors. Our work is guided by a commitment to international and national security, democratic governance, and the rule of law.

Working with governments, international organisations, NGOs, and private-sector partners, HCSS combines basic and applied research to generate policy-relevant insights that translate directly into real-world decisions. Our research portfolio spans mid- and long-term strategic trends, emerging risks, and operational lessons, ensuring relevance across both immediate policy needs and future-oriented planning.

To further this mission, HCSS convenes a wide range of stakeholders through public events, expert workshops, and closed-door strategic dialogues. These engagements allow us to test ideas, refine analyses, and contribute to informed debate on the pressing issues shaping today’s international security environment.

HCSS conducts its activities independently while drawing on an extensive network of affiliated experts across disciplines and regions. Our outputs are diverse and accessible, ranging from in-depth reports and strategic surveys to issue briefs and rapid assessments. These products include trend and scenario analyses, risk assessments, geopolitical and regional security studies, conflict analyses, operational evaluations, and policy recommendations.

About Laura Jasper 

Laura holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics (cum laude) as well as a Master of Science in Economics (magna cum laude) from the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium. For her master thesis 'Bargaining Peace and War. The economics of conflict illustrated by the Kashmir case.' she investigated how we can analyze the strategic determinants of the choice between war and settlement using game theoretic models. Additionally, she holds a Master of Science in Crisis and Security Management from Leiden University, the Netherlands. Where she specialized in Intelligence and National Security. Prior to joining HCSS, Laura held an internship with the Association of Flemish Cities and Municipalities (VVSG). At VVSG she worked on polarisation, radicalisation, and extremism. 

Currently, Laura Jasper is Programme Coordinator and Strategic Analyst at the The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies (HCSS) in the Netherlands. With her multidisciplinary background in both economic theory and security studies she supports HCSS’ research agenda in bridging quantitative and qualitative research. 

Laura is the principle researcher on undermining. This encompasses all research related to Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI), and specifically the role of Non-State Actors such as Transnational Organised Crime (TOC). She researches how FIMI and TOC undermine our society and rule of law, and the nexus with conflict and state stability. 

As Programme Coordinator of the multi-annual research framework PROGRESS, conducted in consortium with the Clingendael Institute for the Dutch ministries of Defence and Foreign Affairs she coordinates research on trends and developments in the international order that presents a risk for European security. As such she is one of the main analysts working on HCSS Strategic Gaming capabilities.

In this capacity she frequently contributes to international conferences, media, and expert groups both as a speaker and a certified moderator. As such she moderated a session during the november 2025 Hanns Seidel conference in Athens on The Future of Digital Information Environment and Democracy. 

In case you are interested you can get in touch with Laura here or via LinkedIn here.