The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) is a prominent American think tank founded in Washington, D.C., in 1962. Originally affiliated with Georgetown University, it became independent in 1987. CSIS focuses on global political, economic, and security issues, including international relations, trade, technology, finance, energy, and geostrategy.

In the 2019 Global Go To Think Tanks Report by the University of Pennsylvania, CSIS was ranked the top U.S. think tank across all fields, the leading defense and national security think tank globally, and the fourth-best worldwide. Recognized as a “Defense and National Security Center of Excellence” for 2016-2018, CSIS aims to sustain American prominence and prosperity.

CSIS is a bipartisan think tank that hosts scholars with diverse political views. It frequently invites prominent officials from major U.S. political parties and international figures. Notably centrist, CSIS hosts the Statesmen’s Forum and the Global Security Forum, featuring high-profile speakers like U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and former Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. It also collaborates with Bob Schieffer of CBS News for the CSIS-Schieffer School Dialogues.