Ulrike Hopp-Nishanka has been working on conflict transformation and peacebuilding for nearly 20 years as practitioner, researcher, lecturer as well as Deputy Head of Division at Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), most recently focusing on inclusive peacebuilding, recovery and reconstruction in the MENA region as well as Afghanistan. From 2005 to 2012, Ulrike was Deputy Director of the Sri Lanka Project of Berghof Foundation and supported the Mediation and Peace Infrastructure Programme.

Ulrike helped shaping the concept of Infrastructures for Peace and holds a Ph.D. from the University of Hamburg, investigating the role of the peace secretariats in Sri Lanka’s peace process and their contribution to conflict transformation. Ulrike is currently on leave from BMZ and consulting for a variety of agencies with a focus on the political economy of reconstruction and peacebuilding as well as inclusive peace processes.