Niedja Santos is a jurist and interdisciplinary researcher working at the intersection of International Relations, Law, and Public Policy. She holds a PhD in International Relations from the University of Lisbon and is currently pursuing a PhD in Law at the University of Coimbra, funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology. She also holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Law and an MBA. She is affiliated with research centres at the Universities of Coimbra and Lisbon, in Portugal, contributing to projects on democracy, anticorruption public diplomacy, and legal innovation. Her widely published research examines the diplomatic and normative dimensions of anticorruption, with a focus on how public diplomacy shapes global norms. Her academic work is complemented by professional experience in Brazil, including leadership roles in economic development, innovation, and international cooperation, as well as international consultancy in city diplomacy.