Established in 1958 at the request of then MSU President John A. Hannah, the MSU Canadian Studies Center (CSC) is the longest-serving university-affiliated center for the study of Canada in the United States. One of five area studies centers within International Studies and Programs, and the only one focused on a single country, the center advances MSU’s longstanding commitment to internationalization through programming and educational opportunities focused on issues important to Canada and the United States and especially the Great Lakes region, including trade, border security, and Great Lakes stewardship.
The center's central objectives are to expand opportunities for students to engage with Canada through coursework, education abroad, and career experiences, and to support research and research funding involving Canada and Canadian partners. These efforts build on strong existing connections between MSU and Canada. MSU faculty co-publish with Canadian scholars more than with scholars from any country other than China, and Canada is MSU faculty’s most popular international destination for research presentations.
These strong connections enable students and faculty at MSU and in Canada to collaborate on pressing issues facing both countries and the broader world, underscoring the importance of sustaining and expanding these partnerships.