The Centre for Refugee Studies (CRS) is an organized research unit of York University. Founded in 1988, the Centre for Refugee Studies is successor to the Refugee Documentation Project created in 1981 for the conservation and analysis of research documents and data collected by Operation Lifeline during the Indochinese Boat People crisis (see attachments below for news articles). In 1991, CRS was designated as a Centre of Excellence by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).

At the time of its founding, the Centre for Refugee Studies at York University became the second centre of its kind in the world, following the Refugee Studies Centre created at the University of Oxford. An increasing number of centres devoted to the study of forced migration are emerging in various parts of the world, and the York centre has links with a significant number of them. CRS remains, next to the Centre at Oxford, one of the largest and most active centres specifically in Refugee Studies in the world.

The Centre for Refugee Studies fosters interdisciplinary and collaborative research in all of its undertakings. Our efforts are focused in areas related to a comprehensive research program expanding from theoretical to institutional research on several wide-ranging and interconnected areas of study. In carrying out this research, CRS networks with Canadian and international development agencies and academic institutes. CRS invites scholars from abroad to share in the research. Canadian and international students are supported to undertake field studies and conduct related research. Joint research activities with institutions in the developing world are underway. Members of CRS play a significant role in an advisory capacity with Canadian government and other agencies.