UTSYN – Center for Security and Resilience is a politically independent, non-profit civil society organization working on issues related to security, defence, and preparedness, the role of civil society in democratic societies, and the development of a sustainable public discourse.

UTSYN operates both as a knowledge hub and an operational project partner, with a particular focus on strategically exposed regions in Norway and across Europe. We initiate and implement projects together with partners from the media, academia, local authorities, and the private sector in order to strengthen civil society’s ability to understand, prevent, and respond to threats, including influence operations.

UTSYN is a small and dynamic organization with a high level of expertise and strong professional networks both nationally and internationally.

UTSYN receives annual operational and project funding from the Norwegian Ministry of Defence through its grant scheme for non-profit organizations (Chapter 1700), in addition to project funding from Norad, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Amedia Foundation. In previous years, we have also implemented projects supported by, among others, the Fritt Ord Foundation, the Norwegian Union of Journalists, the University of Maryland (USA), the Norwegian Officers’ and Specialist Union, and the Norwegian Reservists Association.

All UTSYN activities are carried out independently and in accordance with the organization’s statutes. The organization retains full responsibility for the content of its activities and professional contributions.

The organization was established in 2018 in response to an increasingly polarized public debate on security and defence issues. Since its founding, UTSYN has maintained a strong engagement with issues concerning the High North.

UTSYN is also engaged in several international initiatives in cooperation with partners across the Nordic region, the Baltic states, and the wider European area. In the Western Balkans, we have for several years worked closely with journalists and editors at public broadcasters in Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Albania, and North Macedonia. Through these programs we provide training focused on strengthening security culture within the media sector. This work includes addressing disinformation, cognitive resilience, corruption, and organized crime. The programs also cover areas such as source protection, interview techniques, and managing vulnerabilities in an increasingly complex information environment. Our engagement in Southeast Europe is based on the understanding that political instability and organized crime in the region also affect the security of the wider European space. Strengthening professional journalistic networks in the Western Balkans is therefore considered an important contribution to broader societal resilience and to our own total defence.

Purpose

• Build shared spaces for dialogue across sectors, interests, and geographic divides.
• Promote critical and constructive exchange across different security policy perspectives.
• Encourage greater openness and diversity by including a broader range of professional communities and new expert in the public debate.
• Cooperate with media organizations and professional communities to strengthen critical analysis, research communication, and capacity-building on key security policy issues.

UTSYN is supported by a number of affiliated experts and professional contributors. More information about them can be found here.

Structure
UTSYN is registered as an organization in the Norwegian Brønnøysund Register Centre with organization ID 919672226.

The organization consists of a board and a secretariat, in addition to affiliated experts from a range of sectors. This provides a flexible organizational structure: a small and efficient administrative core supported by a broad and diverse professional network.

Experts, institutions, and professional communities may be affiliated with the organization and contribute with their expertise in various ways, with UTSYN serving as a shared platform for collaboration.