The Institute on Comparative Regional Integration Studies is a United Nations think tank working on Global Governance, Regional Integration and International Cooperation.The mission of UNU-CRIS is to contribute to achieving the universal goals of the UN and UNU through comparative and interdisciplinary research and training for a better understanding of the processes and consequences of intra- and inter-regional integration. The aim is to act as a think-tank that generates policy-relevant knowledge about new forms of governance and cooperation and to contribute to capacity building on issues of integration and cooperation, particularly in developing countries.UNU-CRIS focuses on the study of processes of regional integration and cooperation and their implications. It acts as a resource for the UN system, with particular links to the UN bodies dealing with regional integration, and works in partnership with institutes and initiatives throughout the world that are concerned with issues of integration and cooperation.UNU-CRIS is based in Bruges (Belgium) at the premises of the Grootseminarie. It receives its core funding from the Flemish Government and collaborates with the College of Europe (Bruges) as a result of a Memorandum of Understanding, instituting their institutional collaboration. UNU-CRIS is further supported by the Province of West-Flanders. As a UN Agency, UNU-CRIS is also a member of the UN Team in Belgium.