The Centre for Strategic Economic Studies focuses on the processes of economic, technological and social change in the contemporary world. It seeks to understand the causes and consequences of these processes, and the appropriate policy responses for different situations.

The Centre has three main activities:

• research on long-term economic, social and
  technological issues;
• commercial activities, including publications, conferences and electronic data services;
• postgraduate teaching.

These are carried out in six areas of research:

• governance and regional economies;
• growth, trade and development;
• inequality and work;
• information technologies and the information economy;
• sustainable development and the environment;
• technology, innovation and industrial change.

The Centre's founding and current director is Professor Peter Sheehan. He has held various positions including senior researcher at the Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research at Melbourne University and Director General of the former management and budget department in the Victorian Government. He has also held a wide range of board positions with Australian companies, particularly in high-technology areas.