The School of National Security Studies has been conceptualised to encourage creation of knowledge in the area of security and strategic studies and international relations in the country. The Centre for Security Studies was established in 2009 as one of the founding centres in the School of International Studies. In May 2018, with approval from the University Grants Commission, the Central University of Gujarat upgraded the Centre for Security Studies into the School of National Security Studies. Currently, the School has three centres namely, "Centre for Security Studies," "Centre for Strategic Technologies" and "Centre for Maritime Security Studies". In the coming years, the School intends to pursue research in all areas of security and strategic studies including research into various internal security threats, nuclear deterrence and strategy, threats emanating from Space and Cyber domain, national security structure and higher defence management. Given the importance of Gujarat's historical connections with the larger world, it will pursue research on maritime and coastal security. Besides the other global areas, the School's immediate area of focus is on India's immediate and extended neighbourhood.
CENTRE FOR SECURITY STUDIES
The Centre was founded in 2009 as the Centre for Internal Security. In 2012, the centre was renamed as Centre for Security Studies (CSS). From the Academic Year 2018-19, the Centre is functioning under the School of National Security Studies. The Centre attempts to impart theoretical, empirical and critical understanding of the changing notions of security encompassing a complex and frequently interconnected set of issues. The Centre's objective is to disseminate the existing knowledge and generate new knowledge, pertaining to issues of security through teaching and research. The centre aims to train new generation of scholars and analysts in security studies and aspires to inculcate much needed interest in the discipline. Courses facilitate the comprehension of complex issues of significance within the broad context of security studies. Two courses on research methodology are intended to equip and train students in the methods and techniques of research, the methodological debates and issues in social sciences, as well as the basic approaches and concepts of analysis.
The Centre for Strategic Technologies is one of the two new centres established under the School of National Security Studies in 2018. The centre occupies a unique place in the Indian university system, because for the first time a teaching and research centre has been established purely to study the evolution, future development trajectories and impact of strategic technologies on the society, military, economy and the country at large. Strategic technologies are broadly understood as those technologies which have an impact on national security. The centre will work at the intersection of strategy, technological change and evolution and their impact on a country's foreign and military strategy. Given the rapid changes in technologies and associated developments in the area, such a broad understanding will allow for accommodation of future developments into the ambit of study in the centre.
Centre for Maritime Studies is one of the two new centres established under the School of National Security Studies in 2018. The Centre aims to establish itself as a centre of excellence in the field of maritime studies in India promoting policy relevant research and analysis through collaboration with government, policy practitioners, academics and industry. It will study emerging issues and concerns related to India's coastal and maritime domain, the institutions, practices, and discourses that shape them. Since Gujarat is rapidly growing as India's maritime hotspot and the state has tremendous potential to develop in areas of port development, maritime trade and commerce, the Centre will focus on issues related to Gujarat's coastal and maritime security and India's role in the Indian Ocean particularly its engagement with Arabian Sea littorals.