Communication for Sustainable Social Change (CSSC) is an independent organization created as a “Center of Excellence” within the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, the flagship school of the state’s five campus university system.

The Center was created in response to an urgent need for close study of society and culture in formulating communication and media strategies in order to ensure that target audiences are reached in an appropriate manner that most effectively enhances knowledge transfer and brings about sustainable social change. This is particularly so in developing countries where access to understandable information about health care (particularly HIV/AIDS), security, agriculture, literacy and other issues is vital. However, social change is not limited to developing countries, and the Center’s activities will encompass global and local activities worldwide.

The Center is envisioned as an international resource base and focal point for broad interdisciplinary studies into the theory and practice of sustainable social change communication. CSSC will do this together with researchers and scholars around the globe.