Center for International Studies (CIS)

The Center for International Studies (CIS) aims to support and promote international research and education at MIT. Whenever possible, we capitalize on MIT's great strengths in science and engineering, examining the international aspects of these fields as they relate to both policy and practice, and focusing on those issues where science and engineering intersect most closely with foreign affairs.

CIS includes 160 members of the MIT faculty and staff, mainly drawn from the departments of political science and urban studies, and visiting scholars from around the world. We sponsor formal programs, multidisciplinary working groups and numerous public events. While CIS does not offer teaching programs, the Center's faculty and staff engage with students as colleagues in research, audiences in public events, and enthusiastic participants in the MISTI international internship program. We also assist MIT students in obtaining external funds for international activities through the CIS fellowship database.

CIS is one of several academic research centers founded in the aftermath of World War II. We celebrated our 50th anniversary in May 2002 with a symposium on past and future challenges.