About BISA

We’re a leading voice in International Studies in the UK and abroad. We develop and promote International Studies through our publications, research, academic networks and funding opportunities. Many of our members are experts in their field, but we’re diverse and support members at all stages of their careers. We’re known for our progressive, vibrant community, our annual conference and our strong research networks.

Our aims

We strive to promote and develop International Studies in the United Kingdom and beyond.

Our ultimate aim is to represent and support the scholarly community of academics, students and others working in International Studies and related disciplines - all of whose work contributes to the discipline. We are committed to furthering research, knowledge exchange, professional development, and learning and teaching.

We connect people working in International Studies - both academics and policymakers -  and foster collaborations within the academic community and outside to increase research impact.

We provide an excellent membership experience and sustain a growing, diverse and inclusive community of members.

Students engaged in a task
Female speaker on translation
People in a meeting
Female in a meeting
Man and woman networking

Working groups

Through our working groups, we provide a dynamic and proactive environment for focused research into sub-fields of International Studies.

Annual conference

Our annual conference is renowned for being inclusive, diverse and friendly. We bring together a worldwide community of specialists to discuss, promote and develop International Studies.

Postgraduate Network (PGN)

Our Postgraduate Network (PGN) enhances the membership experience for PhD students and early career researchers. They organise an annual conference, a funding competition and provide a ready-made network of colleagues on the same journey of professional development and skills acquisition.

Our journals

Our journals place us at the forefront of the latest developments in International Studies.

RIS reflects the changing nature of global politics, new political challenges and contemporary understandings.

EJIS publishes theoretical, methodological and empirical papers at the cutting edge of security research.

Our book series

Our book series, Cambridge Studies in International Relations (CSIR), is a joint initiative with Cambridge University Press. Consisting of over 150 books, we aim to publish the best new scholarship in International Studies, and to address the most important problems and issues in global politics.

Funding

We provide funding for PhD students, early-career researchers, and grants for the development of teaching and learning. We also allocate funding for our working groups and PGN.

Prizes

Our prizes recognise excellence and achievement through research and teaching in the field of International Studies. The prizes are presented each year at our annual conference.

How we're governed

We’re a registered charity and a limited company with a board of trustees, our Executive Committee. The trustees are elected, but unpaid, volunteers. They confirm that they have complied with Section 4 of the Charities Act 2006 to have due regard to the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit.