About CMI
Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI) is an independent centre for research on international development and policy. CMI was founded in 1930, and is located in Bergen, Norway. CMI conducts both applied and theoretical research, and has a multidisciplinary profile anchored in four thematic research groups:
- Rights, Democracy and Development
- Peace, Conflict and the State
- Poverty Reduction
- Public Sector Reform
The geographical focus is Sub-Saharan Africa, Southern and Central Asia, the Middle East and Latin America, see world map of CMI's activities.
Brochure in pdf: CMI07
CMI research aims to inform and influence policy, and to contribute to the public discourse on international development issues. CMI has an extensive network of research partners, and works in close co-operation with researchers in the South.
The 40 CMI researchers are social scientists, mainly anthropologists, economists and political scientists. Several CMI researchers have substantial experience from operational work in developing countries and in international organisations. CMI puts much emphasis on broad country competence and regional capacity as well as insight into development processes in the South.
CMI has wide experience in evaluating aid projects, programmes, organisations and strategies. The institute has led numerous large international multidisciplinary studies
Research communication is an integrated part of the research process. CMI adheres to an open access policy, and makes all publications available full text online and is a memeber of BORA.
The institute is committed to quality and relevance, and puts strong emphasis on reaching its core target groups through tailor-made outputs. There is a strong emphasis on publications in international refereed journals to ensure and maintain a high academic standard.
CMI publishes CMIReports and CMIWorkingPapers, CMIBriefs, CMINews and CMIAnnual Report.
CMI enjoys an extensive network of international contacts, and has formal co-operation agreements with various research institutions in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Institutional co-operation facilitates joint research and projects, institutional development and competence building.
In Norway, CMI has close formal institutional collaborations with the University of Bergen and the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration, including teaching, joint research projects and support to graduate students and PhD candidates.
CMI is not an educational institution. 10 Master's students, mainly from the University of Bergen, are affiliated to the institute and write their thesis at CMI. CMI also hosts several PhD students.
CMI is the largest centre for development studies in Scandinavia. The annual turnover in 2006 was NOK 57m.
"CMI is a "flagship" in the diverse fleet of Norwegian research institutions," concludes the recent evaluation commissioned by the Research Council of Norway.
