The CISAlpino Institute for Comparative Studies in Europe (CCSE) is an international, nonprofit and independent institute dedicated to the commercial, social and political relevance of the Cisalpino regions. Having strong common historical roots, these regions have a great deal in common and play a leading role in their countries, strongly influencing the European development.

The CCSE is based on a co-operative agreement between the University of Bergamo and the University of Augsburg aimed at fostering scientific collaboration, also by intensifying the exchange of researchers. The agreement welcomes new partners willing to share the strategic view of the Institute and its purposes. The most recent collaborations have involved the Indiana University, the Harvard Graduate School of Design, the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science in Berlin, and the FGV – Fundação Getúlio Vargas e McGill University (Montréal).

The CCSE brings together academics, policy makers and practitioners from all over the world for discussions to exchange knowledge and ideas, to improve our understanding of European countries, recognizing the importance of cooperation among different communities. Being located in the heart of the European Union, the regions on the two sides exhibit the highest growth rates, welfare and wellbeing in Europe. This makes the Cisalpino region one of the most attractive and the CCSE, by fostering comparative studies within countries and regions in Europe, tries to improve our understanding both common features of these areas and of how and why countries and regions in Europe differ, how regions are shaped by these differences and how we can learn from each other to shape our common future in the best ways.

The CCSE’s mission is to bring together heterogeneous skills and course of studies in carrying out research activities of a comparative and international nature, crossing national borders. From a theoretical point of view, the objective of the center is in general the investigation of a series of topics of global interest, such as access to resources, sustainability, economic or ethical inequalities, safety and environmental challenges. Indeed, comparative studies have the purpose of studying how and why territories differ in terms of institutional structures, resources, and performance. The results of these activities are primarily useful for policymakers, but also for managers, entrepreneurs, public administrators and scholars. At the same time, the CCSE aims to be a useful tool for the university in consolidating the university's internationalization process, by implementing joint research, teaching and third mission activities.

In this regard, in the section International Collaborations explains in detail the research and teaching activity carried out in national and international collaborations.