The Centre for International Peace and Security Studies at McGill University (CIPSS) and the Université de Montréal (CEPSI) brings together researchers, conducts cutting-edge research in international security, hosts public events, and fosters dialogue among students, scholars and policymakers. CIPSS/CEPSI is a bilingual institution jointly based at both universities with autonomous leadership and activities. The McGill centre is a unit under the Faculty of Arts. Originally known as the Research Group on International Security (REGIS), the Centre was founded in 1996 by T.V. Paul (McGill University) and Michel Fortmann (Université de Montréal) as a joint program in security studies. To reflect a broadened focus on issues beyond traditional security studies, REGIS was renamed CIPSS/CEPSI in 2009. Paul and Fortmann served as the Founding Directors of CIPSS (2009–2012), helping to establish it as a leading Canadian centre for international security and peace.
Vincent Pouliot directed CIPSS from 2012 to 2019, followed by Jennifer Welsh, who served until Fall 2024 before becoming Director of the Max Bell School of Public Policy. During 2024–25, T.V. Paul served as Acting Director, with Yusuf Yilmaz as Coordinator. In 2025–26, Juliet Johnson and Fernando Nuñez-Mietz assumed the roles of Co-Directors. Today, the Centre includes more than 30 regular members, numerous graduate student fellows, as well as visiting researchers and postdoctoral fellows.
Throughout the academic year, CIPSS/CEPSI hosts a range of public events designed to engage scholars, graduate students, and faculty in research-oriented discussions. It also organizes occasional public policy conferences. From September to April, the Centre runs its flagship Speaker Series, a forum for both emerging and established IR scholars to present their work and receive feedback. For graduate students, the series provides insights into current research trends and opportunities to connect with researchers from around the world.
These activities are made possible through generous support from several Fonds de recherche du Québec – Société et culture (FRQSC) and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) funded projects, as well as grants from the Max Bell School of Public Policy and the McGill Faculty of Arts. Notable team projects initiated by CIPSS include: International Security in the Globalization Era and Globalisation Under Strain.
Currently, CIPSS is linked to research networks and programs led by our Faculty associates such as the Global Research Network on Peaceful Change (GRENPEC), Research Network on Women, Peace and Security, Localization in World Politics, and Protecting the Internally Displaced.
