[1][2] The center was founded by Prof. Dr. Kurt Spillmann in 1986 and has been led by Prof. Dr. Andreas Wenger since 2002.
[1] The mission of the CSS is to examine the challenges surrounding security policy development and how to deal with them.
The center also includes an independent think tank, which focuses on Swiss and international security policy as well as furthering peace.
Another key aim of the CSS is to serve as a link between academia, practitioners and the public on security matters.
[3] Projects which have been supported by the CSS include the Parallel History Project,[4] an online project which collected together and analyzed declassified and other government documents relating to the Cold War, as well as the International Relations and Security Network, an online information service that provided a range of open access products and resources on international relations.