Cambridge Centre for International Research

Cambridge Centre for International Research (CCIR) was founded by a group of Cambridge graduates upon a definite understanding and vision of the transformative role of knowledge for society. Our vision is grounded in the three beliefs: The value of knowledge in today’s world The world in which we live is one confronted with problems unprecedented in scale and complexity. As such, the increased distribution and cultivation of epistemic resources—which includes not just knowledge, but creative and critical thinking skills—will be critical to dealing with these problems. The value of academia The epistemic resources being produced by the brightest minds in our finest academies possess transformative potential, not only for individuals but for the world. The trap of the ivory tower However, all too often, the social impact of these epistemic resources have been unduly limited as a result of their inaccessibility. With this in mind, we came to the conviction that by building bridges between the leading researchers and scholars of our finest academies and the wider public, we can radically increase social access to potentially transformative epistemic resources. And in so doing, we can cultivate a generation of critically informed and creatively intelligent citizens who will, together, help build a brighter future. In short, our mission is to promote the value and practice of academic research for the sake of building a better world.