Center for Comparative Immigration Studies

What Center for Comparative Immigration Studies does

The Center for Comparative Immigration Studies (CCIS) is an organized research unit at the University of California, San Diego, established in March 1999 under the leadership of Dr. Wayne Cornelius. Headquartered on the UCSD campus in La Jolla, California—approximately 30 miles from the US-Mexico border—the center conducts comparative, interdisciplinary research on international migration, displacement, and borders, with a global network spanning migrant-sending and receiving contexts across North America, Europe, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific region.

CCIS operates a portfolio of research and academic programs including the Reimagining Refuge: California for Just Migrant Futures initiative (2025-2028), the Mexican Migration Field Research Program (MMFRP), the undergraduate Minor in Human Rights and Migration (offered through Eleanor Roosevelt College), the Visiting Scholars & Graduate Students program, and the CERC Migration Exchange Fellowship Program with Toronto Metropolitan University. The center disseminates findings through a Working Papers Series (200+ papers), faculty-authored books distributed via academic publishers, and peer-reviewed journal articles. Core research methodology is field-based, combining qualitative and quantitative data collection including ethnographic fieldwork in Imperial County, CA. CCIS maintains a worldwide network of more than 355 Research Associates in 25 countries and 35 institutional affiliates, supplemented by deep partnerships with local NGOs and immigrant advocacy organizations in the San Diego-Tijuana corridor.

CCIS does not generate commercial revenue. The center is funded institutionally through UCSD and externally through research grants, with its primary 2025-2028 Reimagining Refuge initiative funded by the UC Multicampus Research Programs and Initiatives. The center serves multiple stakeholder segments: UC San Diego graduate and undergraduate students (training and field research), faculty and visiting scholars (research infrastructure), community organizations and NGOs (collaborative partnerships), and policymakers and the general public (policy-relevant scholarship and public events). Current leadership includes Director Abigail Andrews (Professor of Urban Studies and Planning), with Director Emeritus Wayne Cornelius and past directors David FitzGerald, John Skrentny, and Claire Adida.

Name

Center for Comparative Immigration Studies

Legal name

Center for Comparative Immigration Studies

Website

https://ccis.ucsd.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Center for Comparative Immigration Studies (CCIS) is an academic research center at UC San Diego that conducts comparative, interdisciplinary research on international migration, displacement, and borders, serving scholars, students, community organizations, and policymakers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

International Student Academic & Personal Support (case management, referrals) (EDALANAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Refugee Camp Coordination & Management (CCCM) (BPADAHAC), Refugee & Humanitarian Newcomer Orientation (Resettlement Support) (EDAAADAI)

Keywords

• Immigration research
• Migration studies
• Comparative policy analysis
• Academic research center
• Refugee studies

Headquarters

HQ city

La Jolla

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Institutional Funding: As an organized research unit at UC San Diego, CCIS receives institutional support from the university and operates through grant-funded research initiatives.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CCIS is an academic research center at UC San Diego that conducts comparative, interdisciplinary research on international migration, displacement, and borders. Its core offerings include the Reimagining Refuge initiative (2025-2028), the Mexican Migration Field Research Program, the undergraduate Minor in Human Rights and Migration, the CERC Migration Exchange Fellowship, and the Visiting Scholars Program, supported by publications through working papers, books, and journal articles.

Product overview

CCIS is an academic research center at UC San Diego offering a portfolio of research programs, academic programs, fellowship opportunities, and publications focused on migration studies. The core offerings include: the Reimagining Refuge initiative (2025-2028) as the primary research program; the Mexican Migration Field Research Program (MMFRP) for student training; the undergraduate Minor in Human Rights and Migration; and fellowship programs including the CERC Migration Exchange Fellowship and Visiting Scholars Program. CCIS also disseminates research through its Working Papers series, published books, and journal articles.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Active research spanning migrant-sending and receiving contexts across North America, Europe, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific region
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Bridging Divides and CERC Migration Exchange Fellowship Program enables exceptional advanced PhD students (3rd year or later), post-doctoral fellows, and early career researchers from Toronto Metropolitan University and UC San Diego to participate in one-month research exchanges. The program promotes international collaboration and knowledge exchange among Canadian and international academic institutions.
• UC Berkeley Interdisciplinary Migration InitiativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for joint book talks and scholarly events on migration topics, combining resources and audiences from major UC migration research centers.
• UC Davis Global Migration CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner for book talks and academic events on international migration research.
• UCLA Center for the Study of International MigrationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in UC system-wide book talk initiatives bringing together leading migration scholars.
• 35 Institutional AffiliatescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCIS maintains partnerships with 35 institutional affiliates, including 12 outside the United States, spanning global migration research contexts across North America, Europe, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific region.
• Local NGOs and Immigrant Advocacy OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCIS maintains a local network of dozens of partner NGOs and immigrant advocacy organizations in the San Diego-Tijuana region for community-rooted research and collaboration.
• Eleanor Roosevelt College, UC San DiegocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCIS is based at UC San Diego's Eleanor Roosevelt College and offers the undergraduate minor in Human Rights and Migration through this college.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves1 record

Broad incumbents

• Migration Policy Institute (MPI): Larger, established think tank producing data and policy analysis on migration in the US and internationally. Overlaps with CCIS in evidence-based migration research and policy advising, though MPI operates at a much larger scale and with a global footprint.
• Pew Research Center — Hispanic Trends / Migration: Major research organization producing widely cited data on US immigration, including Hispanic/Latino demographic and migration trends. Adjacent in audience and topic but operates as a much larger, non-academic data and policy shop rather than a university research center.
• Brookings — Center for US and Immigration Policy / Hamilton Project: Established DC think tank producing immigration policy analysis and demographic research. Overlaps with CCIS's policy-oriented scholarship, but at substantially larger scale and broader mandate.

Direct peers

• Refugee Studies Centre, University of Oxford: Long-standing academic center dedicated to research on forced migration and refugee studies. Direct methodological and topical peer to CCIS's refugee and asylum scholarship, including David FitzGerald's Sergio Vieira de Mello Chair work.
• International Migration Institute (IMI) at University of Oxford: Oxford-based research center conducting comparative international migration research. Comparable in its interdisciplinary, globally networked academic model and emphasis on migration drivers and policy — directly relevant to CCIS's comparative scholarship.
• UC Berkeley Interdisciplinary Migration Initiative: Direct peer within the UC system conducting interdisciplinary migration scholarship. CCIS already partners with Berkeley on book talks and scholarly events, indicating overlapping research communities and audience.
• Center for Migration Studies (CMS): Independent research institute focused on international migration, refugees, and immigration policy. Comparable in its academic-policy orientation and emphasis on refugee and asylum scholarship, including work that intersects with CCIS's Sergio Vieira de Mello Chair portfolio.
• UC Davis Global Migration Center: Direct peer within the UC system focused on international migration research. Listed as an active CCIS event and book-talk partner, reflecting shared comparative immigration research mandate.
• Toronto Metropolitan University — CERC in Migration and Integration: Already a formal exchange partner via the CERC Migration Exchange Fellowship Program, TMU hosts a comparable migration research portfolio. Functions as a transnational peer and live collaboration counterparty.
• UCLA Center for the Study of International Migration: Direct peer at UCLA dedicated to international migration scholarship. Collaborates with CCIS on UC-wide book talks and events, serving a closely overlapping academic and policy audience.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/center-for-comparative-immigration-studies

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Center for Comparative Immigration Studies