As a research-intensive academic establishment, the Josef Korbel School of International Studiesboasts a plethora of international area- and topic-focused centers and institutes. Regional expertise in the international academic community is demonstrated by active, independent research by renowned centers such as the Institute for Study of Israel in the Middle East, Center for China-US Cooperation and the Africa Today Associates. Topical concerns within international affairs are addressed by the Center on Rights Development, Institute on Globalization and Security and the Refugee and Immigration Information Center, and the Center for Teaching International Relations. The Josef Korbel School of International Studies also has the Intermodal Transportation Institute to research and resolve issues regarding regional, national, and international transportation.

Center for China-US Cooperation

The Center for China-US Cooperation (CCUSC) serves as a bridge in a search for mutual understanding, the development of prudent policies, and the positive resolution of disputes between the peoples of the US and China. Founded in early 1998 by the Josef Korbel School of International Studies , the CCUSC fosters balanced analysis of current developments in China and China's relationships with the rest of the world. Students may take advantage of many activities in the Center, including the monthly Jackson/ Ho China forum, annual international symposium, and other international conferences to learn about the changes and complexities in the political, economic, legal, social, and cultural landscape of the Greater China, including the Mainland, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. Students also interact with distinguished visiting Chinese scholars hosted by the CCUSC. In addition, because the editorial office of the top journal of Chinese studies, the Journal of Contemporary China, is located in the CCUSC, students have the opportunity to work alongside editor Professor Suisheng Zhao and learn about the editorial process of a leading academic and policy journal.

Center On Rights Development

The Center On Rights Development (CORD) was established in 1988 to form a bridge between human rights scholarship and practice.

Promoting universal standards of human rights, CORD establishes links with academic institutions, legal monitoring centers, and NGOs around the world to pursue various human rights projects, such as post-conflict reconciliation and development (e.g. in Bosnia, Israel, Palestine, etc). Both international and local in scope, CORD conducts community outreach with organizations engaged in human rights activism and education (e.g. refugee and immigration services).

The Center organizes regular film screenings and speaking events, with every program followed by a discussion among the participants. Issues addressed range widely, but center around pressing and timely human rights concerns. For the 2006-07 year CORD is sponsoring events featuring a Somali Bantu historian, Omar Eno, and an experienced advocate for human rights in Latin America, Thomas Melville.

One of CORD's newest initiatives is its involvement in the local community on the problems facing the homeless population. Having formed relationships with local shelters and service providers, CORD is working toward alleviating a troubling human rights problem occurring right here in Denver.

The Human Rights Symposium, held every spring, has taken various forms, but recently has been fashioned after an academic conference. Giving graduate students, from the Josef Korbel School of International Studies community and beyond, an opportunity to share their research and insights, the Symposium is a unique contribution to the human rights community. The 2007 Symposium's theme is: "Human Rights in Africa: An Ongoing Narrative of Struggle and Hope."

Center for Sustainable Development and International Peace

The Center for Sustainable Development and International Peace (SDIP) at the Josef Korbel School, University of Denver, is dedicated to the conduct of research, policy dialogue, education, and training on the twin challenges and opportunities of the 21st century: sustainable development and international peace. The Center's work focuses on three types of activities: sponsored research, policy dialogue, and advanced professional education and training. Thematic concentrations of SDIP include: States and Societies at Risk: Prevention, Peacemaking, and Peacebuilding; Energy, Water, Health and the Environment: Linkages to Security and Development; Governance: Linking Peace and Development; and, the Private Sector in Global Development and Peacemaking.

Center for Teaching International Relations

The Center for Teaching International Relations (CTIR) is dedicated to enhancing public understanding of international affairs. A national leader in providing international education services to both pre-collegiate educators and the general community, CTIR's programs and publications offer intellectual rigor and analytical depth to global trends and events. CTIR plays the role of a catalyst, bringing people together locally and nationally to expand their critical thinking and understanding of the people, places, and events beyond our borders.

Annual events at CTIR include the Model United Nations and the World Affairs Challenge. Students at the university, high school, and middle school levels study the United Nations and participate in a mock dramatization of the UN proceedings. The experience cultivates students' skills in public speaking and private negotiation, as well as their knowledge about international relations. The World Affairs Challenge is an academic competition in international relations. Middle and high school students research, analyze, and propose solutions for a contemporary international problem.

Collaborative Refugee and Immigrant Information Center

The Collaborative Refugee and Immigrant Information Center (CRIIC) is a regional referral and information database that assists people working with refugees and immigrants in the Rocky Mountain region. Created in 1992 under the direction of the Center for Cultural Dynamics, it has the distinction of being the area's first computer bulletin board for service providers and others conducting mental health- and human rights-specific refugee and immigrant research.

The CRIIC database is divided into two areas. The first is a compilation of bibliographic citations on a variety of topics within the larger framework of refugee and immigrant mental health. It includes an extensive hard-copy library containing copies of many of the works listed in the computer. The second area is a listing of service providers in the Rocky Mountain region along with addresses, key contacts, and information regarding specific ethnic groups on which a provider may wish to concentrate.

Global Health Affairs

Founded in 2003, Global Health Affairs (GHA) was the first program in the U.S. to offer a global health degree within the intellectually diverse and socially engaged context of a school of International Studies. The GHA curriculum, combined with one of the GSIS academic degree programs, will prepare you to address the key role of health in increasingly multisectoral approaches to development, security, diplomacy, human rights, and other areas of focus in the public, private, and non-profit sectors. GHA students gain the substantive knowledge, methodological grounding, and technical skills to understand how global health priorities are set, how policies and interventions are implemented, and how their achievements are evaluated. GHA offers specialized courses on key health issues such as HIV/AIDS, population, environment, health/security interactions, and biomedical technology.

Human Rights & Human Welfare: An International Review of Books and Other Publications

Human Rights & Human Welfare: An International Review of Books and Other Publications (HRHW) is a student-run, online, peer-reviewed academic journal that publishes review essays, book notes, topical review digests, and hosts a working papers site.

Review Essays & Book Notes:
Our thematic review essays and concise book notes highlight current literature dealing with major issues in the overlapping thematic areas of human rights, justice and welfare-areas that are now sometimes referred to collectively under the heading of "human security." In particular, HRHW offers reviews of monograph (book) and non-monograph materials (e.g., U.N. and World Bank reports, research studies, policy documents). HRHW also reviews information currently available on the internet, with a special focus on content, complexity, and ease of use.

Essays appearing in Human Rights & Human Welfare are peer-reviewed by members of its multi-national Editorial Review Board.

Review Digests
In addition, we publish a review digest that organizes and abstracts recent research and writing on a particular global or regional theme or topic. The content for the digests is developed in a course that is offered through the Graduate School of International Studies, titled "Human Rights Research and Writing."

Working Papers:
The working papers site provides a neutral forum where human rights students and scholars may share works in progress with their peers, in order to seek comments and feedback.

Institute on Globalization and Security

The Institute on Globalization and Security (IGLOS) was created in 2000 in order to promote multinational, collaborative, policy-relevant research and teaching on how global integration affects the nature and provision of security. Its research and teaching agenda includes such topics as economic interdependence and war, the global arms trade, the privatization of security, global telecommunications and war, homeland security, international terrorism, and the security impact of the widening global gap between rich and poor.

Institute for Sino-American International Dialogue

The Institute for Sino-American International Dialogue (ISAID) is a new DU Josef Korbel School of International Studies initiative with the Anna and John J Sie Foundation focusing on a win-win cooperation on critical issues for global sustainability; building US China Partnerships in solving critical issues facing US, China, and the world for global sustainability.

Institute for the Study of Israel in the Middle East

The Institute for the Study of Israel in the Middle East (ISIME) contributes to public understanding of developments in Israel and the Middle East and to US policies related to that region. It conducts research and organizes lectures, seminars, workshops and conferences designed to illuminate political and economic trends and opportunities. ISIME seeks to influence policy and policy makers in an informed way to foster the spread of economic ties and democratic government.

Intermodal Transportation Institute

Directed by GSIS professor Joseph Szyliowicz, the Intermodal Transportation Institute is a research center on transportation law, planning, and decision making. ITI combines the expertise of faculty from GSIS, the College of Law, the faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, and other units in the University. A member of the Alliance for Transportation Research (ATR), ITI works with other members to resolve regional, national, and international transportation issues.

International Career Advancement Program

The purpose of the International Career Advancement Program (ICAP) is to help bring greater diversity to the staffing of senior management and policy-making positions in international public service, both governmental and private non-profit. Its aim is to assist highly promising mid-career professionals from underrepresented groups in advancing to more senior positions in international affairs.

The program is based on the conviction that increasing diversity internationally and increasing diversity of the United States' population highlight and increase the need to have US leadership cadres be more diverse in order to operate more effectively in the international arena. There are some programs designed to increase the supply of minorities with credentials for successful public service and international careers. However, we cannot assume that simply by increasing the supply of talented professionals from underrepresented groups with graduate credentials and an interest in international affairs we will thereby increase the diversity at senior levels. In reality, despite the increased supply, those levels remain overwhelmingly staffed by white males. To help change this, we need to take actions to assist and mentor minority recruits if they are to rise to the highest levels of international public service. ICAP is an attempt to accomplish this.

ICAP brings together mid-career professionals from underrepresented groups with senior officials, faculty and staff for a weeklong program at the Aspen Institute and then follows that with other activities designed to reinforce the impact and further the goals of ICAP. The beautiful mountain setting of the weeklong program, away from offices and the constant pressures of work, enables participants to separate themselves more effectively, focus on the program, reflect on their careers and develop relationships within the group.

The Pardee Center for International Futures

The Pardee Center for International Futures (IFs) is a thinking tool for our global future. It was developed to assist people who are interested in personal and social choices lying ahead.

IFs is a computer simulation of global systems for classroom and research use. IFs can be used to teach about or study demographics, economics, food, energy, the environment, and international politics. It is especially suitable for analysis of sustainable development and for examining the human dimensions of global change. Take a tour of the IFs website to learn more about the possibilities of our software and how you can participate in our community.