A centre for advancing Global South perspectives through research and policy
CIDCS
Canberra Institute
of Development
and Civilization Studies
About Us
The Canberra Institute of Development and Civilisation Studies (CIDCS) is an independent think tank dedicated to advancing research, policy, and intellectual dialogue on the defining challenges of our time.
We exist because the world is at a critical juncture. Shifting global alliances, the accelerating climate crisis, the transformative rise of artificial intelligence, and deepening questions about the rules-based international order demand fresh, rigorous, and genuinely inclusive thinking. Yet the institutions that have historically shaped global policy remain overwhelmingly rooted in Global North perspectives — perspectives that too often sideline the voices, experiences, and wisdom of the Global South.
CIDCS was founded to help change that.
What We Do
CIDCS operates across three interconnected areas:
- Applied Policy Research — We conduct rigorous quantitative and qualitative research, translating complex findings into actionable recommendations tailored for policymakers, governments, and civil society organisations. A particular focus is identifying and correcting systemic biases in development practice.
- Engagement and Dialogue — We convene workshops, roundtables, working groups, and strategic forums that bring together academics, public servants, private sector leaders, and community voices. Our goal is not symbolic participation, but genuine consensus-building on national, regional, and global challenges.
- Training and Capacity Development — We invest in the next generation of policymakers and development practitioners through specialised training programs, research fellowships, case studies, and scenario planning exercises.
Our Reserach
We produce knowledge that the world's most powerful institutions have long ignored — and the Global South can no longer afford to wait for.
Applied Policy Research
Translating evidence into action. CIDCS conducts rigorous quantitative and qualitative research across economic development, climate policy, and governance — producing recommendations tailored to policymakers in the Global South, not imported from outside it.
Civilisational & Development Studies
Challenging the frameworks that have shaped the world. Our research interrogates historical and contemporary biases embedded in global development practice, drawing on the intellectual traditions of diverse civilisations to build more just and pluralistic alternatives.
Strategic Engagement & Dialogue
Knowledge without conversation is incomplete. CIDCS organises workshops, roundtables, and working groups that bring together governments, academia, civil society, and the private sector — turning research into real-world consensus.
The only institution where Global South voices don't just contribute to the research — they lead it.
Our Contributions
Industries We Serve!
Aerospace And Defense
Oil And Gas Industry
