CEU Research Centers


Center for the Study of Imperfections in Democracies (DISC) Recent developments suggest that democracies of all ages are facing serious challenges. In response to a widespread suspicion that the quality of democracy in recently re(emerged) and established democracies is increasingly low, the Center for the Study of Imperfections in Democracy (DISC), a research center at Central European University, was established in 2007 to develop and encourage research that reaches across traditional academic and geographic boundaries that exist in the study of democracy by connecting researchers from distinct world regions and from various fields and perspectives.
Center for Arts and Culture (CAC) The Center for Arts and Culture (CAC) stimulates research and curricula development in the field of arts and culture and cultural policy, initiates culture-related debate within the university, and provides the CEU community with innovative artistic programs aimed at bringing together students from all disciplines, as well as academic staff and the Budapest public.
Center for Business and Society (CBS) The Center for Business and Society, operating since September 2002, is dedicated to the values of reflective and critical thinking, open society and democracy. Its unique characteristics is its problem-focused research that crosses boundaries: Interdisciplinary cooperation crossing departmental and inter-university boundaries; and multi-stakeholder approach crossing boundaries between academia and business.
Center for Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Policy (3CSEP) The Center for Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Policy (3CSEP) is an interdisciplinary research and educational center whose mission is to foster solutions to climate change and sustainable energy challenges, while advancing the implementation of development agendas. The center conducts its research at both the global and the regional/local levels, using selected regions and localities as case studies.
Center for Eastern Mediterranean Studies (CEMS) The Center for Eastern Mediterranean Studies (CEMS), heir to the Center for Hellenic Traditions (2004/5–2009/10), promotes the study of the eastern Mediterranean and its hinterlands from antiquity, especially the Hellenistic oikoumene (323–30 BCE), to the end of the Ottoman period (1923 CE).
Center for Ethics and Law in Biomedicine (CELAB) The Center for Ethics and Law in Biomedicine (CELAB) was established in 2005. Ethics and law of biotechnology have obtained increasingly global dimensions. Responding to emerging data protection and intellectual property issues in biomedical law and working towards a better international coordination of regulatory policies in these fields have been two most important issues that CELAB has focused its activities on. The idea behind establishing this Center was based on the recognition of a new and increasingly developing interdisciplinary field: the ethical, legal and social implications of biotechnology. The main pillars of the work done by the Center are the ethics and policy oriented research in the academic field of biotechnology and biomedical law. The Center runs an online biolaw-database, organizes and participates in several international research and policy networks. In the academic year of 2009–10 CELAB is involved in five EU founded projects. In various research projects the Center explores social, cultural, ethical and legal aspects of biobank, stem cell research, genetics, human reproduction, nanotechnology, organ transplantation, regenerative medicine.
Center for EU Enlargement Studies (CENS) The CENTER FOR EUROPEAN ENLARGEMENT STUDIES (CENS), an independent Center of the Central European University, was founded in 2005 as an institution of advanced research into the EU enlargement process. Our overall goal is to promote a dialogue between member states and partners in Eastern- and Southern-Europe, academics and decision makers in the EU and in national governments so that they may have a more informed understanding of factors that influence Europe’s common future.
Center for European Union Research (CEUR) The Center for European Union Research (CEUR) is a platform for collaborative research, dissemination and international networking in the field of European Union studies. CEUR is open to all CEU faculty and emphasises an interdisciplinary approach. CEUR is a crucial component of CEU’s research infrastructure. It promotes CEU’s profile as a key provider of research and teaching in the field of European Union studies.
Center for Integrity in Business and Government The Center for Integrity in Business and Government serves as a regional center of excellence in integrity education, and brings new visibility and credibility to the field. It will deliver integrity courses through graduate, MBA and executive education programs in CEU Business School and CEU School of Public Policy, focusing on East Central Europe and the former Soviet Union countries.
Center for Media and Communication Studies (CMCS) The CMCS is dedicated to advancing media and communication scholarship and policy and the democratic potential of the media. The Center produces scholarly and practice-oriented research addressing academic, policy and civil society needs. CMCS research and activities address media and communication policy, social media and free expression, civil society and participation, fundamental communication and informational rights, and the complexities of media and communication in transition.
Center for Network Science (CNS) The Center for Network Science provides an organizational framework to research in a field that evolved to be arguably the most interdisciplinary over the last fifteen years. With origins in anthropology, and deep roots in sociology, network approaches were recently re-invigorated by a massive interest in the natural sciences. This is an area where ideas from physics (such as phase transition dynamics) is applied to social phenomena (such as social movement mobilization).
Center for Policy Studies (CPS) The Center for Policy Studies (CPS) is dedicated to improving the quality of governance in the region by providing of independent public policy analysis and advice. The center is committed to strengthening local capacity for critical policy analysis, and pursues research and publication that is interdisciplinary and carried out with partners in the global policy community, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union.
Center for Religious Studies The Specialization Religious Studies is a young teaching unit, launched in 2007 by the Center for Religious Studies (formerly the Religious Studies Program). Its diverse course offers cover the three monotheistic religions, over a vast span of time, and from multidisciplinary perspectives
Cognitive Development Center (CDC) The CEU Cognitive Development Center (CDC) was established in September 2008 by Gergely Csibra and Gyorgy Gergely (both faculty members in the Department of Philosophy). The mission of CDC is centered around scientific research on the cognitive development of babies and children. The research work of the center addresses questions related to the ontogenesis of human cognitive capacities, especially action interpretation, emotional development, social cognition and basic cultural learning mechanisms. CDC also plays an active role in the PhD program of the Department of Philosophy.
Initiative for Regulatory Innovation (IRI) CEU Business School Initiative for Regulatory Innovation is a research center that aims to assess the current state as well as to explore directions for continuous improvement of economic regulation in the region. Bringing together business leaders of regulated enterprises, reform-oriented regulatory officials, and academics distinguished by their deep understanding of a policy and political context of their respective countries, the aim of IRI is to be a unique transnational research network that significantly strengthens a link between CEU and some of the leading business and public organizations.
Open Society Archives The Open Society Archives at CEU (OSA), established in 1995, saves, processes and makes publicly available the materials of the Research Institute of the legendary “enemy” radios: Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty. OSA’s collection has since expanded to become one of the largest archives on communism and the Cold War, with one of the most significant human rights materials collection in the region.
Pasts Inc., Center for Historical Studies Pasts, Inc. Center for Historical Studies was established in 2002 as a core of a transnational, interdisciplinary, intercultural network of scholars. Its mission has been to contribute to the training and career development of emerging scholars, in connection with specific research projects.