The Center for Security Studies (CSS) at ETH Zurich is an academic institute specialising in research, teaching, and the provision of services in international and national security policy. Research projects are based on a comprehensive perception of security, which includes not only the military dimension of the term, but also political, economic, socio-cultural, and ecological factors. Since 1997, the CSS and the professorships for political science of the University of Zurich have also been working together to build the Center for Comparative and International Studies (CIS).