About GNSPI

The Global and National Security Policy Institute (GNSPI) unites global and national security-related courses, research, and programs at the University of New Mexico in a coherent whole under one umbrella to serve the entire institution—students and faculty—across its several campuses. 

Global and national security rests on a broad definition, ranging from nuclear issues to natural resources, humanitarian and health challenges, as well as governance, legal, policy, technology, and cybersecurity concerns.

Collaboration among UNM departments, schools, and colleges, and external partners like Sandia National Laboratories, the Air Force Research Lab, and Los Alamos National Labs provides the basis for our curriculum and cooperation on cutting-edge research and innovation projects. The unique aspects of the UNM student body and faculty bring to global and national security studies the scientific expertise, analytical capabilities, and cultural and language dimensions. Combining this expertise within UNM and through our external partners helps our future leaders in the security sector a) evaluate and propose innovative security policy solutions to wicked problems, b) advance their careers, and c) interact more effectively with their counterparts from other cultures and societies.

GNSPI encourages experts from UNM, the national labs, and the private sector to participate as students and teachers in this uniquely designed learning experience, which would expand their horizons and widen the contexts in which they operate. Additionally, collaboration across these fields will encourage students and researchers to analyze rising threats and challenges to global and national security, and to support national workforce needs in such areas as nuclear security policy, law and governance, health sciences and the combating of global diseases, cybersecurity, and intelligence collection and analysis. This initiative will also help UNM students improve their competitive edge as they compete for jobs and career advancement. The GNSPI will also help put UNM on the global and national maps as a “national security” university.