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The George W. Bush Institute

The Institute will, first and foremost, focus on serious applied research—research designed from the beginning to produce results that can be acted upon and deployed in the real world. These results can be tested, replicated, proven and scaled.

The Institute will attract world-class scholars and provide an important voice in policy discussion and development. It will also draw upon the resources of Southern Methodist University, the wealth of research material catalogued in the Archives, and the unique ability of a former President and First Lady to convene, spotlight and inspire.

The Institute will have four initial areas of focus for research: education, political freedom, global health and economic freedom. Each of these areas of research will have an associated action strategy, developed in partnership with third-party implementers including foundations, social entrepreneurs, NGO's, government entities and faith-based organizations. In addition, the Institute will have a Women's Initiative under the leadership of Laura Bush to ensure that the interests of women and girls are duly considered and emphasized across all areas of research and action.

The Institute places great store in the power of ideas, informed by underlying principles. But its mission extends beyond the support and expression of ideas to their dissemination in a form that can be understood by audiences who will then advocate the solutions proposed—or act to achieve those solutions. In short, a major part of the Institute's mission is to turn ideas into action.