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| Centro Studi Strategici | |
|---|---|
| Name | Centro Studi Strategici |
| Founded | 1990 |
| Founder | Giovanni Rossi |
| Headquarters | Rome, Italy |
| Type | Nonprofit think tank |
| Fields | Strategic studies, international relations, security studies |
Centro Studi Strategici is an Italian research institute focused on strategic analysis, international affairs, and security policy. Founded in Rome, it conducts interdisciplinary research bridging European, Mediterranean, and transatlantic issues while engaging with policy communities in Brussels, Washington, and NATO circles. The institute produces policy briefs, scholarly monographs, and public events that connect academic scholarship with practitioner networks across Europe and beyond.
The institute was established in 1990 amid post-Cold War realignments that saw think tanks such as Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Chatham House, and Institute for Strategic Studies expand analytic networks. Early collaborations involved scholars from LUISS Guido Carli University, Sapienza University of Rome, and practitioners from the Italian Ministry of Defence and NATO. During the 1990s the institute contributed to debates linked to the Maastricht Treaty, the Yugoslav Wars, and enlargement of the European Union, hosting guests from Brussels and delegations connected to the European Commission and the North Atlantic Council. In the 2000s, the institute broadened its scope to include transatlantic security dialogues with partners such as the Brookings Institution, the German Marshall Fund of the United States, and the Atlantic Council. Its programs have paralleled major events including the Iraq War, the Arab Spring, and the Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation.
The institute states objectives that align with strategic analysis and policy outreach observed in institutions like RAND Corporation, Clingendael Institute, and European Council on Foreign Relations. Core aims include informing policymakers in Rome and Brussels, enhancing resilience of NATO partners including Italy and Turkey, and contributing to scholarly debates on regional security involving actors such as Russia, China, United States, and European Union. It seeks to produce actionable recommendations relevant to decision-makers in the Italian Parliament, the Council of the European Union, and security bodies like the European External Action Service.
The institute is governed by a board of directors composed of former diplomats, retired military officers, and academics drawn from institutions including Bocconi University, University of Oxford, and Sciences Po. Past directors have included figures with backgrounds in the Italian Foreign Ministry, the Carabinieri, and European institutions such as the European Commission. Research divisions mirror models used at King’s College London’s Department of War Studies and the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, covering regional analysis, defense technology, and counterterrorism studies. Guest fellows often hail from think tanks like RAND Europe, Center for Strategic and International Studies, and national academies including the Accademia dei Lincei.
Research portfolios encompass topics comparable to those addressed by Istituto Affari Internazionali, Royal United Services Institute, and Lowy Institute, with publications on NATO burden-sharing, Mediterranean security, cyber defence, and energy geopolitics involving actors such as Gazprom and Eni. Its outputs include working papers, policy briefs, and edited volumes that cite case studies like the Syrian Civil War, the Libyan Crisis, and the Minsk Agreements. The institute publishes a journal featuring contributions from scholars linked to University of Chicago, Columbia University, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, and research centers such as Johns Hopkins SAIS. Collaborations with publishing houses and series editors mirror partnerships seen with Cambridge University Press and Oxford University Press.
Regular activities include public seminars, closed-door roundtables, and training modules modeled after programs run by Harvard Kennedy School and École nationale d'administration. Events have convened former ministers from Italy, diplomats from the United States Department of State, military officers with experience in ISAF, and experts from United Nations agencies. The institute organizes doctoral symposia and executive courses for staff of institutions like the European Parliament and the Italian Guardia di Finanza. Fieldwork programs and delegations have visited conflict-affected areas noted in reports by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.
The institute engages in institutional partnerships with organizations such as the European Defence Agency, the NATO Defense College, and regional institutes across the Mediterranean. It has entered joint research projects with universities including University College London, Johns Hopkins University, and Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna. Its policy recommendations have been cited in hearings before committees of the Italian Senate and referenced in briefings to delegations at the European Council. Networks include affiliations with foundations like the Carnegie Corporation, and participation in multinational consortia funded by the Horizon 2020 programme.
Funding sources mirror the mixed model used by many international think tanks, combining grants from foundations such as the Open Society Foundations and project funding from the European Commission, alongside sponsorship from private firms and donations from philanthropic entities tied to families prominent in Milan and Turin. Governance structures include an independent advisory council with representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Italy), corporate board members from firms like Leonardo S.p.A., and academic appointees from institutions such as Università di Bologna and Politecnico di Milano. Financial transparency practices are informed by reporting norms similar to those promoted by the Transparency International and benchmarking against peers like Chatham House.
Category:Think tanks based in Italy