For Educators

CISR is creating a multi-disciplinary curriculum on industry self-regulation to enable graduate programs in law, business, and public policy to incorporate this growing field into their existing coursework.

The Need

CISR believes that the power of independent, accountable industry self-regulation, a form of what is often referred to as soft law, is the most under-utilized tool for solving complex modern business challenges.  

Though the mechanism of industry self-regulation has long been in the background as a complement to the tools of traditional, more formal regulation, none of the 203 ABA-approved law schools in the United States at present offers a full course (or other form of curriculum) in industry self-regulation.

Curriculum Development

CISR is currently developing a series of modules on industry self-regulation for graduate programs. This curriculum will explore the conditions that allow self-regulation to flourish, identify where it has and has not worked, and examine new potential use cases.  

ASU’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law will be the first law school in the nation to pilot this curriculum in 2025. 

The curriculum will cover:  

  • The various types of industry self-regulation, such as co-regulatory models. 
  • The conditions under which self-regulation can work and how it compares to and differs from corporate compliance efforts and formal government regulation. 
  • Case studies of various self-regulatory programs across industries. 
  • The interaction of self-regulatory programs with the government as a backstop regulator. 


Eleven graduate programs in law, business, and public policy from across the United States will participate in the review and evaluation of the curriculum, adapting it as necessary.

Our Partners

  • Sandra Day O'Conner College of Law Arizona State University Center for Law, Science, and Innovation
  • John Templeton Foundation Inspiring Awe & Wonder

Investing in Business Accountability

As economic and technological innovations accelerate, businesses must continue to work together to enhance consumer trust in a dynamic marketplace.

At the Center for Industry Self-Regulation, we believe that independent research and education are critical to incubating the solutions that will help us solve industry challenges and protect consumers. Your contribution helps make this important work possible.

The Center for Industry Self-Regulation is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization.

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