Educating global leaders and generating research and insights for a safer, more prosperous world

Featured News

Analysis & Commentary

Dr. Rand and Ambassador Shringla to join MIT as distinguished fellows at the Center for International Studies

March 13, 2025

News

Houck and Ansari, PhD students, further their dissertation research abroad

March 04, 2025

News

“Urban Futures of the Amazon” debates urbanization issues in the biome and the region

February 27, 2025

Explore our activities by region

We invite faculty, researchers, and students from MIT and beyond to learn more about CIS’s impact and work — from research funding to student internships — happening in regions and nations worldwide.

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Events

All upcoming events

Apr 7

Starr Forum: Sudan Under Fire

Bustani Seminar: Lebanon in the shadow of Gaza and in light of a new Syria

What’s next for Ukraine and Europe? A conversation with Dmytro Kuleba, former foreign minister of Ukraine

Global Space Infrastructure and U.S. Grand Strategy

12:00pm - 1:30pm

Location

Building E40

Opportunities

See all opportunities

Working Groups

CIS provides working group grants for advancing interdisciplinary collaborations in the field of international studies. These small grants are provided as "seed" funds for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows seeking to address scholarly problems.

Learn how to apply

Global Seed Funds

The MIT Global Seed Funds grant program provides opportunities for MIT faculty to collaborate with pioneering researchers from around the world.

Browse seed funds

Our community

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Staff

Christine Pilcavage

Managing Director, MIT-Japan Program

Fellows

Robert Art

Senior Fellow

Professor Emeritus, Brandeis University

Staff

Maye Elqasem

Program Coordinator, MIT-Arab World Program

Fellows

John Githongo

Robert E. Wilhelm Fellow

Affiliates and Visitors

Francis Gavin

Affiliate

Giovanni Agnelli Distinguished Professor, John Hopkins University Director of the Henry A. Kissinger Center for Global Affairs, Johns Hopkins University

Students

Chengyang (Damien) Zhang

PhD Student

Student Spotlights

CIS makes it possible for MIT students to experience the world while advancing knowledge, tackling tough challenges, and preparing for lives of impact, service, and leadership in an interconnected global society.

Kira's story

Biological Engineering '23

Kira, a biological engineering major and minoring in Spanish and computer science, went to Chile during the summer of 2022. Kira worked with a set of datasets of TARA Ocean data which gave more insight to ocean microbiomes.

Jaden's story

Chemistry '25

During the summer of 2024, Jaden Anderson traveled to Manaus, Brazil. He worked with research groups; one focusing on clinical trials against malaria and the second focused on investigating natural compounds extracted from Amazonian fungi and plants, with potential applications in medicine.

Jackson's story

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science '26

Jackson Biley worked at the National University of Singapore as a software engineer intern that supported his academic and career goals in several ways.

Ian's story

Mechanical Engineering '25

An internship at Université Catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), working on biomechanics for prosthetics, has led Ian Rosado, a mechanical engineering major, to explore further and pursue a career in biomedical research.

Fiona's story

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science '23

Fiona worked on developing capabilities for autonomous docking.

Student opportunities

Educating global leaders and generating research and insights for a safer, more prosperous world

Featured News

Competing visions of international order

MIT Maritime Consortium sets sail

From show trials to war: A brief history of Ukrainian scientists in portraits

Entrepreneurship and innovation strategy books from MIT

Strategic empathy & the roots of the Ukraine War

US policy on BRICS: A temporary fix or a strategic reset?

A collaboration across continents to solve a plastics problem

Dr. Rand and Ambassador Shringla to join MIT as distinguished fellows at the Center for International Studies

Houck and Ansari, PhD students, further their dissertation research abroad

“Urban Futures of the Amazon” debates urbanization issues in the biome and the region

Events

Starr Forum: Sudan Under Fire

Bustani Seminar: Lebanon in the shadow of Gaza and in light of a new Syria

What’s next for Ukraine and Europe? A conversation with Dmytro Kuleba, former foreign minister of Ukraine

Global Space Infrastructure and U.S. Grand Strategy

Opportunities

Our community

Christine Pilcavage

Robert Art

Maye Elqasem

John Githongo

Francis Gavin

Chengyang (Damien) Zhang

Student Spotlights

Kira's story

Jaden's story

Jackson's story

Ian's story

Fiona's story