He works on foreign and security policy (integrated security, human security, feminist foreign policy), focusing on global perspectives. Ilse holds a B.A. in International Relations (Dresden, New Delhi) and an M.A. in Public International Law (SOAS) and worked as an advisor for the Secretary-General of the German Greens and the Prime Minister of Baden-Württemberg. He joined Heinrich Böll Foundation in its Tunis office and was office director in Belgrade from 2018 to 2022.