Established in 2010 under the co-directorship of professors Liliana Andonova and Tim Swanson, the Centre for International Environmental Studies (CIES) was the Graduate Institute’s focal point for research on environmental issues. The centre was dedicated to the better understanding of the social, legal, economic and political facets of global problems related to the environment, with an emphasis on the international dimension and the North-South relations.
The centre addressed complex problems such as climate change, biodiversity, food security, energy, natural resources and development. CIES’s mission is to conduct high level academic research to improve the quality of decision making in public and private spheres. This goal was achieved by creating a platform for researchers to conduct interdisciplinary research on the environment, by providing training to PhD students in specialized areas of research and by disseminating research results through outreach activities targeted to academic experts and policymakers.
CIES was part of a number of academic networks and partners with academic institutions and stakeholders throughout the world. Located in the heart of International Geneva, CIES regularly hosted workshops and conferences that bring together researchers and policy-makers. In September 2024, the CIES is integrated in the Hoffmann Centre for Global Sustainability.
