The Centre for Policy Research (CPR) is Malaysia’s oldest public policy research centre. Founded in 1974 under the governance of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), CPR was established to support the university’s mission in providing consultancy services, conducting research, and supervising postgraduate studies in public policy.
In response to the increasing importance of globalisation and interdisciplinary studies, CPR merged with the Centre for International Studies (CIS), which had been established in 2004. This merger led to the rebranding of CPR as the Centre for Policy Research and International Studies (CenPRIS) in 2007. However, in August 2023, the centre returned to its original name, Centre for Policy Research (CPR), to reaffirm its strategic commitment to core policy research areas. The rebranding also signalled a renewed focus on key national priorities, particularly in the areas of social, economic, and environmental policy, to strengthen Malaysia’s nation-building agenda.
Academically, CPR offers graduate programmes designed to prepare students for research-intensive and leadership roles in government agencies, academia, research institutions, and civil society. These programmes aim to build analytical capacity and critical thinking skills in addressing complex policy challenges. Through an intellectually engaging environment supported by an interdisciplinary faculty and active engagement with public and private sector stakeholders, CPR fosters a rigorous academic experience. The centre currently offers research-based Master’s and PhD programmes in its thematic focus areas and welcomes graduate students who are committed to contributing to evidence-based policy development.
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