News
Launch of the second cohort of Future Cities Go Glocal: ‘The Just City’
In November, Future Cities Go Glocal launched the second cohort of The Just City. Twenty actors from Berlin, New Delhi, Nairobi and Mexico City will work towards achieving social justice and encouraging participation in 2025/26.
New project “Secure – Stability, European Cooperation & Unity for Regional Engagement”
In 2026, the Aspen Institute Germany will strengthen its engagement in the Western Balkans through its new project funded by the German Federal Foreign Office.
Announcement of the fourth cohort of the U.S.-German Forum Future Agriculture
Aspen Germany is pleased to announce the fourth cohort of the U.S.-German Forum Future Agriculture. In 2026, the project will focus on health and wellbeing in the swine and poultry industries.
At the Aspen Institute Germany we want to promote values-based leadership, constructive dialogue, and international cooperation to tackle today‘s most pressing global challenges: geopolitical and geoeconomic conflicts, climate change, the health crisis, cyber risks, digitalization.
Events
- Future Cities Go Glocal: Fourth Virtual Meeting
- The fourth virtual meeting of the Aspen Institute Germany’s Future Cities Go Glocal project will take place on Thursday, 15 January 2026. During this meeting, participants will discuss the challenges and opportunities facing cities with regard to this year’s theme of social justice and participation in breakout sessions of six to seven participants. During the […]
- Jan 15, 2026
- U.S.-German Forum Future Agriculture: First Introductory Virtual Meeting #1
- U.S.-German Forum Future Agriculture: First Introductory Virtual Meeting. On January 26, 2026, Aspen Institute Germany and its project partner, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, will host the first virtual meeting for participants of the U.S.-German Forum Future Agriculture project. The meeting will focus on agricultural policy and animal health and welfare in farming in Germany, […]
- Jan 26, 2026
- German-American Trade and Tech Dialogue (2025-2026): Workshop 1
- On January 27, the Aspen Institute Germany will host its first Online Workshop in the 2026 German-American Trade and Tech Dialogue cycle. The workshop “From Washington to the World: Transatlantic Priorities for the 2026 G20 Agenda” will focus on how the United States and Europe can shape a forward-looking economic and trade agenda in light […]
- Jan 27, 2026
Publications
Hybrid Realities: Disinformation, Influencers, and the Defense of Democracies in Central and Eastern Europe
The fifth cohort of state and provincial legislators from the United States, Germany, and Canada, participating in Aspen Germany’s Laboratories of Democracy Initiative, proudly presents their policy recommendations on social cohesion.
Structural Change in the Western Balkans
This publication examines key drivers of transformation in the region: digitalization, labor and migration, energy transition, and trade and economy.
Land Use Planning at the Intersection of Agriculture and Renewable Energy
The third cohort of the project “U.S.-German Forum Future Agriculture” presents recommendations for land use between energy and agricultural production.
Podcasts
EP75: MAGA becomes MEGA – The new Transatlantic Alliance
With Annett Meiritz, International Correspondent at Handelsblatt and Juliane Schäuble, U.S. Correspondent at Die ZEIT, we explore how transatlantic right-wing networks function, where they cooperate, the risks they pose to democracy, and what all this means for the future of transatlantic relations.
EP74: One Year Before the 2026 Midterms – Shadows Ahead?
With Dr. Melinda Crane, former chief political correspondent for Deutsche Welle TV, TV producer, and journalist, and Elmar Theveßen, head of the ZDF studio in Washington, we discuss what the results of the recent elections reveal about the political mood—and what they could mean for 2026.
EP73: Future States of America – A glance at the USA in 10 years’ time
With Dr. Hendrik Ohnesorge (Center for Global Studies at the University of Bonn) and Dr. Julian Müller-Kaler (Strategic Foresight Hub, Stimson Center) on future scenarios, possible turning points, and the question of what role America will play in 2035.
Programs
Digital
The Digital Program deals with the far-reaching social transformation processes of digitalization.
Europe
The Europe programs focuses on the future of Europe with a particular focus on the Western Balkans, EU enlargement, and questions of strategic autonomy.
Leadership
The Aspen Leadership Program facilitates exchange between people in leadership positions to foster values-based leadership.
Public
The Public Program provides a forum for open and constructive dialogue between decision-makers and a broader audience on a wide range of current global challenges.
Transatlantic
The Transatlantic Program facilitates an open, values-based dialogue on key challenges facing the transatlantic partnership.
About
The Aspen Institute Germany is an independent, non-partisan organization committed to promoting values-based leadership and open discourse on society, policy and global challenges.
Our Mission
The Aspen Institute Germany promotes values-based leadership, constructive dialog among conflicting parties, and Euro-Atlantic cooperation to support and enhance a strong open society.
Our history
The Aspen Institute Germany was founded in 1974 by Shepard Stone as the first Aspen Institute outside the United States. Founded in the midst of the Cold War, it promoted U.S.-German dialog with the Eastern Bloc.
Our Team
Director Dr. Stormy-Annika Mildner has led the Aspen team since January 2021. Our Transatlantic, Digital, Public and Europe Programs are being supported by a team of currently 21 staff members.
Aspen international
In addition to the founding institute in the USA, the global Aspen network includes independent institutes in Central Europe (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia), France (Paris), Germany (Berlin), India (New Delhi), Italy (Rome), Japan (Tokyo), Mexico (Mexico City), New Zealand (Queenstown), Romania (Bucharest), Spain (Madrid), UK (London), and Ukraine (Kyiv).
