IBEI joins other 35 leading Professional Schools of International Affairs in signing the “Commitment to Diversity” statement released by the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs (APSIA)’s executive committee.

The statement reacts to recent US Executive Order signed by President Donald Trump on January 27 restricting visa issuance from seven Muslim-majority nations, and reaffirms APSIA's commitment to diversity, policy, and service.

Jacint Jordana, IBEI’s director, has signed the APSIA statement on behalf of the Institut Barcelona d’Estudis Internacionals.

Deans from leading schools of global studies and international affairs around the world also signed the statement aimed at helping students, schools, organizations, and partners transform themselves into more effective agents of positive change in an environment of mutual respect for all.

APSIA's Commitment to Diversity:

Since its founding, the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs (APSIA) has been dedicated to the improvement of professional education in international affairs and, thereby, the advancement of global prosperity, peace, and security.

Peace, prosperity, and security come from the exchange of ideas, goods, services, and interactions with those different from ourselves.

We are alarmed by the recent US Executive Order banning visa issuance from seven Muslim-majority nations that was issued after harsh statements directed specifically and categorically against Muslims.

Closing ourselves off makes our countries ill prepared to deal with global challenges. It also directly challenges the work of our members and affiliates and is contrary to the core values of our Schools.

People from all points of view, religions, races, and backgrounds contribute to the education APSIA schools provide. Our community of tens of thousands of students, faculty, alumni, and staff come from nearly every country in the world, as our schools are committed to diversity and inclusion.

We know diversity is an asset. Our students encounter different and divergent perspectives, so that they are adequately prepared for the complex, interconnected world in which they live. They learn to separate information from knowledge. They build a framework to evaluate choices and form opinions based on the analysis of concrete information.

Policy choices matter. They affect people’s lives. That’s why we dedicate ourselves to educating current and future leaders about the issues that connect us. By design, our schools and our students focus on international affairs and policy, because they want to serve a good larger than themselves.

Our students come to master aspects of international affairs in all its complexity. The APSIA community remains dedicated to helping students, schools, organizations, and partners transform themselves into more effective agents of positive change in an environment of mutual respect for all. We will also work to provide a vehicle for representatives from our Schools – deans, faculty, career specialists, academic advisers, communications staff, and others – to consult on issues that go to the heart of what we do.

Signed,

Andrea Bartoli, Dean, School of Diplomacy and International Relations, Seton Hall University
Reuben E. Brigety, II, Dean, Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University
Kelly Brownell, Dean, Sanford School of Public Policy, Duke University
Philippe Burrin, Director, Graduate Institute of Geneva
Susan M. Collins, Joan and Sanford Weill Dean, Ford School of Public Policy, University of Michigan
Sherry Glied, Dean, Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service, New York University
James Goldgeier, Dean, School of International Service, American University
Gordon Hanson, Acting Dean, School of Global Policy and Strategy, University of California, San Diego
Joel S. Hellman, Dean, Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University
Christopher R. Hill, Dean, Josef Korbel School of International Studies, University of Denver
Merit E Janow, Dean, School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University
Jacint Jordana, Director, Institut Barcelona Estudis Internacionals
Reşat Kasaba, Director, Jackson School of International Studies, University of Washington
John Keeler, Dean, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Pittsburgh
Andrew Kim, Dean, Graduate School of International Studies, Korea University
Akihiko Kimijima, Dean, College of International Relations, Ritsumeikan University
Masahisa Koyama, Dean Graduate School of International Relations, Ritsumeikan University
Dirk Lehmkuhl, Director, Master of International Affairs and Governance Program, University of St. Gallen
Enrico Letta, Dean, Paris School of International Affairs, Sciences Po
James Levinsohn, Director, Jackson Institute for Global Affairs, Yale University
Kishore Mahbubani, Dean, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore
Michael McIntyre, Chair, Department of International Studies, DePaul University
Carmen Mezzera, Executive Director, Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs
Adil Najam, Dean, Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies, Boston University
Keiji Nakatsuji, Professor, Graduate School of International Relations, Ritsumeikan University
Vali Nasr, Dean, Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University
Robert Orr, Dean, School of Public Policy, University of Maryland
Wayne Sandholtz, Director, School of International Relations, University of Southern California
Henry Schwalbenberg, Director, Fordham University’s Graduate Program in International Political Economy and Development[1]Eric Schwartz, Dean, Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota
James Stavridis, Dean, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University
Kathryn E. Stoner, Director, Ford Dorsey International Policy Studies Program, Stanford University
Lars Strannegård, President, Stockholm School of Economics
Stephen Toope, Director, Munk School of Global Affairs, University of Toronto
Shujiro Urata, Dean, Graduate School of Asia-Pacific Studies, Waseda University