SIMS

The SIMS (Scenario Intelligence, Modeling and Simulation) Lab at the Center for International Strategic Studies (CISS) at Luiss Guido Carli dedicates itself to advancing strategic foresight in international relations and security studies through scenario building and analysis and by designing and conducting advanced serious games and simulations. The unit operates to build models for research and practice based on both solid theoretical premises and empirical evidences. This specialized unit produces future scenarios, strategy development, simulation tools, and serious games like Global Tensions (GT), providing analytical insights and training for stakeholders across academia, government, and international organizations.

Comprised of senior and junior researchers with expertise in international relations theory, futures studies, intelligence analysis and modeling & simulation, SIMS delivers comprehensive analyses of geopolitical dynamics. Their multidisciplinary approach spans games design grounded in IR theory, scenario testing with partners and modeling of complex risks, from nuclear proliferation and submarine cable cybersecurity to trade wars and Indo-Pacific rivalries. This enables the unit to interpret emerging global tensions and simulate policy responses, fostering informed decision-making in an uncertain world.

SIMS ensures game dynamics in projects to align precisely with educational purposes and learning needs. The unit is authoring a Palgrave monograph (Teaching International Politics with Wargames, 2026), presented preliminary findings on serious games for IR teaching at the IPSA World Forum in Seoul (2025), and is currently developing new games and analysis for the defense sector, public authorities and private entities. Beyond analysis, SIMS organizes events, scenario workshops, and policy foresight sessions to bridge research, training, and real-world strategy.