The British International Studies Association (BISA) is a learned society

Learned society

A learned society is an organization that exists to promote an academic discipline/profession, as well a group of disciplines. Membership may be open to all, may require possession of some qualification, or may be an honor conferred by election, as is the case with the oldest learned societies,...

 that promotes the study of international relations

International relations

International relations is the study of relationships between countries, including the roles of states, inter-governmental organizations , international nongovernmental organizations , non-governmental organizations and multinational corporations...

 and related subjects through teaching, research, and facilitation of contact between scholars. BISA has an international membership where 40 countries are represented. The current president is Stuart Croft. The association national office is based at Aberystwyth University hosted by the Department of International Politics.

Foundation

In Jan 1974 an inaugural meeting was held at the 14th Bailey Conference on International Studies at the University of Surrey, and at that time, a draft interim constitution was agreed. The interim executive committee consisted off Alastair Francis Buchan

Alastair Francis Buchan

The Hon. Alastair Francis Buchan CBE was a leading writer on defence studies in the 1970s.-Career:Born the son of John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir and educated at Eton College and at Christ Church, Oxford, Buchan joined the Canadian Army and saw active service in World War II...

 (chairman), RJ Jones (secretary), Susan Strange

Susan Strange

Susan Strange was a British academic who was influential in the field of International Political Economy. Her most important publications include Casino Capitalism, Mad Money, States and Markets and The Retreat of the State : The Diffusion of Power in the World Economy.For a quarter of a century,...

 (treasurer), PA Reynolds, G Goodwin, D Wrightman, CM Mason, T Taylor, A James and J Spence.

Publications

• BISA publishes the Review of International Studies
  Review of International Studies
  The Review of International Studies is an academic journal on international relations and the journal of the British International Studies Association. The editor-in-chief is Kimberley Hutchings ....
  
  
• BISA also collaborates with Cambridge University Press
  Cambridge University Press
  Cambridge University Press is the publishing business of the University of Cambridge. Granted letters patent by Henry VIII in 1534, it is the world's oldest publishing house, and the second largest university press in the world...
  
  on the Book Series "Cambridge Studies in International Relations"
• International Studies Today is a biannual bulletin for members

Annual prizes

BISA awards the following prizes at it's annual international conference:

• Michael Nicholson Thesis Prize
• Susan Strange Book Prize
• BISA Teaching Prize
• Best Article in Review of International Studies

Working groups

BISA working groups are formed by members to enable collaboration and networking in specific subfields. There are currently about 30 groups focusing on specific areas of study and collaboration.