The research agenda of the Centre starts from two basic assumptions:

There is an enormous interest in the effects of, and implications of, globalisation and regionalisation. We recognise that it is a vague, ambiguous over used and theoretically contested term. The contested nature of the concept and its long-term utility is both a theoretical and practical question. Understanding, defining and explaining globalisation--be it in its economic, political, socio-cultural and historical guises--and where possible, measuring and quantifying it, is thus CSGR's central intellectual task.

Notwithstanding the growing volume of research on issues of globalisation and regionalisation, the Centre is (to the best of our knowledge) the only purpose designated centre dealing in a comprehensive manner with globalisation and its linkages with regionalisation. This has given us the opportunity to build a substantial international presence. Our target community and our audience are global, rather than simply national. Providing both a national and international site for interaction between scholars and practitioners (from both the public and private sector) is thus a core element of the mission of the Centre.