Institute of CAFTA Studies
ICS | Sam Houston State University

The College of Business Administration at Sam Houston State University has established the Institute of CAFTA Studies in order to promote the full benefits of interregional cooperation and to facilitate the interchange of information, ideas, and knowledge across borders.

The mission of the Institute is to improve the knowledge of the region and its interaction with the U.S. through the coordination and implementation of information exchange, facilitation of workshops and seminars, and creation and dissemination of socio-economic data of the region, with extensions to the Caribbean and South America as needed. A vital component of that mission is the promotion of economic interchange between the regions. Closer economic ties provide the bridge to improve international relations, the means to close the gap in living standards, and the wherewithal to address joint regional concerns such as security and political stability.

The Institute provides a wide variety of services, including a seminar series, an on-line information center, a scholar exchange program for faculty and students, consulting services for local businesses, and the publication of an academic and professional journal. The Institute also serves to further the University's objectives in “Closing the Gap” through recruiting and retaining traditionally under-represented populations.

The Institute is housed within the College of Business and administered by the Department of Economics and International Business. It is allied with the existing Gibson D. Lewis Center for Business and Economic Development .