Programs

Economics and security are colliding more now than at any time in the post-war era. The use of economic tools for geopolitical and strategic purposes is creating headaches for policy makers and the private sector alike. How to navigate this new world and support international allies and partners while protecting national domestic interests and industry is increasingly challenging. USSC is a first mover in this space, providing timely and well-informed analysis and practical solutions that assist Australia and the US to respond to economic security dynamics.

The Emerging Technology Program focuses on the critical emerging technology challenges facing Australia, the United States and our network of allies and partners. The program explores the strategic, social and global impacts, opportunities and risks that new technologies bring — from artificial intelligence and quantum to clean energy technologies and export controls.

The Foreign Policy and Defence Program produces policy-oriented analysis of American strategic policy in the Indo-Pacific and the future of the Australia-United States alliance. The program offers insights and recommendations to its stakeholders through publications, policy dialogues, strategic futures workshops, outreach activities, podcasts, and other mediums.

The Politics, Society and Culture Program addresses questions about US democracy, governance and political institutions; the attitudes and values that structure US society and what this means for US allies; shifts in US balancing of individual freedom, inequality and state power; US cultural presentation of itself to the world; and the differences and similarities between the United States and its allies and partners in key domains of public policy.

Women in the Alliance brings together a diverse group of talented female professionals for exclusive opportunities designed to advance and accelerate their careers, amplify their expertise and expand their professional network.

Together with the Japan Foundation, the Centre runs two parallel and interrelated Australia-Japan fellowship programs designed to strengthen the connection between Australian and Japanese policy experts and research institutes.

The ‘NextGen’ initiative aims to strengthen the bilateral Australia-US alliance by building a diverse and well-equipped network of future Australian leaders dedicated to shaping the alliance’s future.

The Sydney American Studies Initiative supports local scholars conducting research or projects focused on various aspects of American Studies.

With strategic competition increasingly encroaching on the Indian Ocean and intensifying non-traditional security threats, the United States Studies Centre is undertaking a project to baseline and propose future direction for US and Australian defence policy in the region.

This initiative convenes defence industry professionals, subject matter experts, and former and current officials from Australia and the United States to exchange views on key obstacles to and opportunities for advancing defence industrial and technology cooperation within the Alliance context.

This Japan-Australia-United States trilateral security study project assesses implementation of Japan’s new security strategy, drawing lessons from Australian defence policy and seeking opportunities for aligning trilateral strategy, policy, operations and industrial cooperation.

In June 2024, the United States Studies Centre hosted the inaugural Track 1.5 Trilateral Dialogue between representatives of Australia, Japan and South Korea. The dialogue was designed to advance the policy debate on trilateral approaches to shared strategic objectives while supporting Track 1 efforts in this space.

Indo-Pacific Strategic Futures is an integrated research initiative that examines issues at the intersection of regional multipolarity, alignment dynamics and collective defence.

The Sunnylands Initiative brings together thought leaders from across the Indo-Pacific to discuss challenges and opportunities for advancing democratic norms and governance in the region.