{{More citations needed|date=April 2018}} {{Use British English|date=March 2026}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2026}} The '''Policy Studies Institute''' (PSI) was a British [[think-tank]] and research institute. PSI began in 1931 as [[Political and Economic Planning]] and became the Policy Studies Institute in 1978 on its merger with the Centre for Studies in Social Policy (est 1972). PSI became an independent subsidiary of the [[University of Westminster]] in 1998 and merged with the university in 2009. The director of PSI at the time of its dissolution in 2018 was Ben Shaw.<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20131125161243/http://www.psi.org.uk/site/people_detail/ben_shaw Ben Shaw]}}</ref>
PSI prioritised sustainable development, with particular reference to the environment, policy and practice as the present area of greatest need, an initiative spearheaded by Katherine Saunt, and more recently [[Harry Pincus]].
It was based in the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment<ref>[http://www.westminster.ac.uk/about-us/faculties/architecture Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment]</ref> at the [[University of Westminster]].
PSI's research themes included: energy and climate change; resource use and the [[circular economy]]; mobility and transport; the role of communities and business in delivering a sustainable future; cities, innovation and sustainability transitions; public behaviours, attitudes and policy; and policy and research evaluation.
From its Central London base, PSI collaborated with an international network of researchers and centres working on environment and sustainable development policy; PSI coordinated the SDRN.<ref>[http://www.sd-research.org.uk/ Sustainable Development Research Network]</ref>
PSI was politically neutral and had no connections to any political party, commercial interests or pressure groups. The institute's income was derived from a variety of sources, including government departments, research and higher education funding councils, the European Commission, charitable foundations and business.
Leading researchers who worked at the institute include [[Mayer Hillman]], [[Paul Ekins]] and [[Tariq Modood]].
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{University of Westminster|state=expanded}} {{Authority control}}
[[Category:Political and economic think tanks based in the United Kingdom]] [[Category:1931 establishments in the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Research institutes established in 1931]]