The mission of the Centre is to become Australia’s premier university-based centre for research on all aspects of federalism and multi-level governance, both in Australia and beyond.

The Centre’s strategy for carrying out this mission includes

• Bringing public and government attention to contemporary issues and topics in comparative federalism and multi-level governance, including the importance of federal-state relations, local and urban governance, and respect for regional, aboriginal, and minority representation.
• Hosting events showcasing the best of research and ideas on federalism and multi-level governance from academics and practioners from Australia and abroad.
• Organizing conference and workshops on key topics and issues of contemporary relevance.
• Sharing lessons from federal countries around the world on renewing federalism and stimulating innovation in policy and governance.
• Promoting the study of federalism and multi-level governance in comparative perspective through the School of Politics and International Relations academic undergraduate and graduate courses and teachings, in addition to developing future curricula.
• Intersecting with other research centres both in SPIR and at ANU, in order to bring new comparative perspectives to long standing national debates.
• Building on the School of Politics and International Relations and ANU’s longstanding legacy in being leaders in debates surrounding federalism in Australia and abroad.