The Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) comprises six countires; Burma, Cambodia, China, Laos PDR, Thailand and Vietnam; linked not only by the mighty Mekong River as a symbol of shared resources, but also cultural, historical and political ties. The region has transformed rapidly since the end of the Cold War in large owing to radical development policies, making regionally focussed research highly pertinent.

The Mekong Sub-region Social Research Centre works towards the integration of Mekong regional studies amongst academics, scholars and students within and outside the region. The multi-disciplinary centre promotes the sharing of GMS knowledge across disciplines, institutions and borders. The centre hopes to fill the gap' in regional research by encouraging regionally generated scholarship, collating information and data pertaining to the GMS and fostering networks and collaborations between GMS academics.