Brown University to establish a School of International and Public Affairs

“The launch of the new school is an opportunity to shine a light on Brown’s excellence in international and public affairs, consider areas where we will grow, and amplify our voice in the political world,” Schiller said. “It is also important to note that the School of International and Public Affairs will enhance the undergraduate education at Brown by providing all students on campus with access to a range of scholars and scholarships in a more in-depth, comprehensive and accessible way, so they will have better training as they pursue their careers or graduation.”

Schiller emphasized that the school’s visibility and resources will also help attract top-notch faculty, research funding and highly motivated students.

“As Brown becomes a more significant leader in this space, it will help the university deliver growth in private and public grantmaking and foundation support, and will expand our reach among alumni, which will strengthen the university in the future,” Schiller said.

In the strategic planning process taking place over the coming year, “we will examine the breadth of our portfolio, the scope of the school’s mission, and the evolution of the Watson Institute in the context of the new School of International and Public Affairs,” Doyle said. This process will explore a wide range of important issues – from the organizational structure of academic programs to initiatives within the school – and initiates the search for the school’s inaugural dean.

The school’s establishment follows the proposal’s unanimous approval by Brown’s Committee on Academic Priorities in March 2024 and approval by the entire Brown faculty in April.

Susan Moffitt, the new chair of Brown’s Department of Political Science and current director of academic programs at the Watson Institute, said the new school will deepen Brown’s track record of welcoming national and global scholars who make an impact.

“The needs of the hour are diverse and require the mobilization of public spirit – which is partly why I see the School of International and Public Affairs as so crucial, with the emphasis on the word ‘public,’” said Moffitt . “There are countless fields that require fresh thinking, committed scholarship and commitment to work for a just and peaceful world. Given the complex and compelling demands of today, the creation of the school demonstrates Brown’s commitment to cultivating the public and global good.”