The International Institute for Strategic Studies

Analysis

The International Institute for Strategic Studies is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in September 1962, 64 years ago. Its declared purposes cover general charitable purposes, education/training and other charitable purposes, which this site groups under education and training. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 00615259). It says it provides advocacy/advice/information and sponsors or undertakes research.

In the financial year ending September 2025, The International Institute for Strategic Studies reported income of £31.6m and spending of £29.5m, spending 93% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from September 2021 to September 2025, income grew from £18.4m to £31.6m (+72%), an average of +14% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to September 2022, when income rose by 33%. Over the whole period it spent 97% of the income it received.

Among 21,402 England and Wales charities whose main cause is education and training and that reported income, The International Institute for Strategic Studies sits at the 99th percentile: it is one of the largest 1% in its cause. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 100th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Felsted School (£31.6m), Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance (£31.6m) and Jesus College in the University of Cambridge (£31.1m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 73%, donations and legacies 17%, trading 7.6% and investments 1.4%. Charitable activities took 94% of spending and raising funds 0.2%. Reserves of £11.9m would cover about 5 months of spending at that rate. It employed 179 people.