School of Advanced International Studies

School of Advanced International Studies
Name	School of Advanced International Studies
Established	1943
Type	Private
Parent	Johns Hopkins University
Dean	James B. Steinberg
City	Washington, D.C.
Country	United States
Other locations	Bologna, Nanjing
Website	https://www.sais.jhu.edu

School of Advanced International Studies. It is a graduate school of international relations and foreign policy, part of Johns Hopkins University. Founded during World War II, it has grown into a globally recognized institution with campuses on three continents, focusing on preparing leaders for careers in public service, private sector organizations, and non-governmental organizations. Its rigorous curriculum integrates economics, policy, and regional studies, with a strong emphasis on practical, real-world application.

History

The institution was established in 1943 by Paul H. Nitze, Christian Herter, and other statesmen who anticipated the need for expert diplomats and analysts in the postwar world. Its founding was supported by figures like John J. McCloy and Dean Acheson, who shaped the Bretton Woods system and early Cold War policy. Originally named The School of Advanced International Studies, it operated independently in Washington, D.C. before merging with Johns Hopkins University in 1950, a move championed by university president Detlev Bronk. This integration provided greater academic resources and solidified its role in training professionals for institutions like the United Nations, the World Bank, and the U.S. Department of State.

Academics

The academic program is built around a core curriculum in international economics, international relations theory, and quantitative methods. Students choose a concentration in a functional area such as international finance, strategic studies, or global theory and history, and a regional specialization focusing on areas like Middle East studies, African studies, or Southeast Asia studies. The school grants Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degrees, with a distinctive requirement for demonstrated proficiency in at least one foreign language. Its pedagogy emphasizes the interplay between theory and practice, often taught by faculty with experience at the International Monetary Fund, the Central Intelligence Agency, and major think tanks.

Campuses

The primary campus is located in the Dupont Circle neighborhood of Washington, D.C., providing direct access to the U.S. Capitol, the Pentagon, and numerous embassies. The European campus is housed in the Bologna Center in Italy, established in 1955 as the first American graduate school in Europe, which focuses on European Union affairs and transatlantic relations. The Asia campus operates through the Hopkins-Nanjing Center in China, a joint venture with Nanjing University founded in 1986, which offers bilingual programs in international studies and Chinese law.

Notable faculty and alumni

Prominent faculty have included statesmen such as Zbigniew Brzezinski, former National Security Advisor; Francis Fukuyama, political scientist known for *The End of History and the Last Man*; and Michael Mandelbaum, foreign policy analyst. Distinguished alumni span global leadership roles, including former Prime Minister of Italy Mario Monti, former President of Colombia Juan Manuel Santos, and United States Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner. Other graduates hold senior positions at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the World Health Organization, Goldman Sachs, and the Council on Foreign Relations.

Research centers and programs

The school hosts numerous specialized institutes, including the Foreign Policy Institute, which convenes dialogues on pressing global issues, and the Philip Merrill Center for Strategic Studies, focused on national security and defense policy. The International Development Program partners with agencies like the United States Agency for International Development, while the Kissinger Institute on China and the United States examines Sino-American relations. Other centers address African studies, Latin American studies, and energy, resources and environment, often collaborating with the Brookings Institution and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Relationship with Johns Hopkins University

As a division of Johns Hopkins University, it benefits from the resources and reputation of the broader institution, particularly its close ties to the Johns Hopkins Hospital and the Applied Physics Laboratory. It maintains a distinct identity and admissions process but collaborates on cross-disciplinary initiatives with other schools like the Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Carey Business School. The university's central administration, led by the President of Johns Hopkins University, oversees its strategic direction and financial governance, while the school's dean reports directly to the Provost.

Category:Johns Hopkins University Category:International relations schools in the United States Category:Universities and colleges in Washington, D.C.